Anne Sexton: A BiographyAnne Sexton began writing poetry at the age of twenty-nine to keep from killing herself. She held on to language for dear life and somehow -- in spite of alcoholism and the mental illness that ultimately led her to suicide -- managed to create a body of work that won a Pulitzer Prize and that still sings to thousands of readers. This exemplary biography, which was nominated for the National Book Award, provoked controversy for its revelations of infidelity and incest and its use of tapes from Sexton's psychiatric sessions. It reconciles the many Anne Sextons: the 1950s housewife; the abused child who became an abusive mother; the seductress; the suicide who carried "kill-me pills" in her handbag the way other women carry lipstick; and the poet who transmuted confession into lasting art. |
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A.S. to Anne A.S. to Dr Anne Sexton Anne Wilder Anne's artist Barbara began Billie Boston C. K. Williams called Clawson daughter death doctor's files Doctor's notes father February feel felt friends George Starbuck girl Harvey hospital Houghton Mifflin HRHRC Ibid interview with D.M. James Wright January Jon Stallworthy July Kayo Kayo's kind later Legler Letters Linda Sexton live Lois Ames Love Poems Lowell's manuscript Marian Seldes Martin Orne Mary Gray Maryan Maxine Kumin Mercy Street mother Nana Nana's never November Orne Orne's person pills play poet poetry psychiatrist Radcliffe College Ralph Ralph Harvey recalled remembered restricted collection Review Robert Lowell September Sexton wrote sexual Stallworthy story suicide Sylvia Plath talk therapy tape things thought Tillie Olsen told Dr took trance trip W. D. Snodgrass week Westwood Lodge woman women workshop writing Zweizung