Literary Criticism - General & Miscellaneous, 20th Century American Literature - General & Miscellaneous - Literary Criticism, Politics & Literature, World War II - General & Miscellaneous, U.S. & Canadian Poetry - 20th Century - Literary Criticism, U.S.

Elizabeth Bishop's World War II-Cold War View

Name: Elizabeth Bishop's World War II-Cold War View
Author: Camille Roman
ISBN: 9781403967206

by Camille Roman

Available on Bookshop Write a review

Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Overview

Elizabeth Bishop's World War II-Cold War View offers the first comprehensive portrayal of the poet in mid-century America. The elusive story of Bishop’s national, cultural, and literary politics during the World War II-Cold War period is finally brought into sharp focus as the book traces her life and writing from the war years spent in Key West through her tenure as the 1949-1950 national poet laureate. Our understanding of Bishop is completely reshaped by this study’s unique ability to easily move back and forth between a wide-ranging cultural critique of mid-twentieth-century America and a careful, close, and chronological reading of the poet. Roman's study is ideal for students of American poetry, contemporary poetry, and American literature.

Synopsis

Elizabeth Bishop's World War II-Cold War View offers the first comprehensive portrayal of the poet in mid-century America. The elusive story of Bishop's national, cultural, and literary politics during the World War II-Cold War period is finally brought into sharp focus as the book traces her life and writing from the war years spent in Key West through her tenure as the 1949-1950 national poet laureate. Our understanding of Bishop is completely reshaped by this study's unique ability to easily move back and forth between a wide-ranging cultural critique of mid-twentieth-century America and a careful, close, and chronological reading of the poet. Roman's study is ideal for students of American poetry, contemporary poetry, and American literature.

About the Author, Camille Roman

Camille Roman is Assistant Professor of English at Washington State University, has co-edited nearly a dozen books and is currently co-editing the three volume anthology American Poetry 1650-2000.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Choice

...Roman's detailed and sensitive analysis adds greatly to the reader's understanding of the poet and her work.

Library Journal

In this fascinating study of the year Elizabeth Bishop (1911-79) spent as poet laureate of the United States, Roman (English, Washington State Univ.) paints a compelling portrait of the United States just as it was throwing itself into the Cold War. Among other social phenomena was the "postwar demobilization of women" into traditional feminine "American" roles of wife, mother, and homemaker. Bishop fit into none of these categories: she was single, lesbian, and not even fully "American," having lived in Canada for many years. She also suffered from severe asthma, depression, and alcoholism. Bishop's year in her office at the Library of Congress gave her a unique vantage point to observe a rapidly changing nation, helping to deepen her sense of alienation from it. The only flaw in this otherwise well-written and succinct study is that more examples of Bishop's poetry are not included. Highly recommended for literature collections. Diane Gardner Premo, Rochester P.L., NY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

Roman (English, Washington State U.) examines the American poet's national, cultural, and literary politics from the war years in Key West through her tenure as the 1949-50 national poet laureate at the Library of Congress. She alternates a cultural critique of America at mid-century with close, chronological readings of Bishop's work. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)