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moth_dance's review
5.0
Tender thoughts to spend a pandemic with.
Once again, I'm left wishing I had this text with me at a younger age...
In high school (early-2000s), I was fed the lie that Emily Dickinson was a spinster recluse who loved no one (as declared by heteronormative standards because she never married or had kids) and wrote only about death and nature. Fortunately, that actually intrigued my teenage mind and I spent my entire 16th year obsessed with her. Now at 32, a queer woman living and working from home in the time of a pandemic, I've returned to Emily Dickinson.
She is the hermit as a positive affirming position in life. The hermit is intuitive and passionate and constant. Her words to Sue are symbols of sapphic devotion. Never-ending love. Admiration of the highest order.
What a blessing for these two women to have one another in all ways possible.
Once again, I'm left wishing I had this text with me at a younger age...
In high school (early-2000s), I was fed the lie that Emily Dickinson was a spinster recluse who loved no one (as declared by heteronormative standards because she never married or had kids) and wrote only about death and nature. Fortunately, that actually intrigued my teenage mind and I spent my entire 16th year obsessed with her. Now at 32, a queer woman living and working from home in the time of a pandemic, I've returned to Emily Dickinson.
She is the hermit as a positive affirming position in life. The hermit is intuitive and passionate and constant. Her words to Sue are symbols of sapphic devotion. Never-ending love. Admiration of the highest order.
What a blessing for these two women to have one another in all ways possible.
nicolembradbury's review
5.0
Emily Dickinson will forever in my book sit as the best writer of all time. The love she had for Susan is indescribable, and can only be felt between her words. Her story has always stayed with me since I first studied her a few years ago, and the feat of how we all are able to read her writing now is incredible. I am in mourning for the many brilliant women like Emily whose works were not preserved, love letters to other women are left behind as their history is. The most brilliant mind of her time if not the most brilliant mind of all time.
sriq's review
"How vain it seems to write, when one knows how to feel - how much more near and dear to sit beside you, talk with you, hear the tones of your voice -"
"Only want to write me, only sometimes, sigh that you are far from me, and that will do"
[Martha Dickinson Bianchi on Emily Dickinson]: "Her devotion to those she loved was that of a knight for his lady."
"Only want to write me, only sometimes, sigh that you are far from me, and that will do"
[Martha Dickinson Bianchi on Emily Dickinson]: "Her devotion to those she loved was that of a knight for his lady."
miabellawymer's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
browniydgrl1's review
4.0
I enjoyed this insightful look at the relationship between Emily and Susan expressed through Emily's unedited letters and poems.
It saddens me to know that her work was altered to to be more acceptable so that someone else could turn a profit.
This book provides a small glimpse of Emily's passion.
I recommend it for fans of Emily Dickinson to round out their understanding of her life.
It saddens me to know that her work was altered to to be more acceptable so that someone else could turn a profit.
This book provides a small glimpse of Emily's passion.
I recommend it for fans of Emily Dickinson to round out their understanding of her life.
hopeydoo's review
4.0
I really really wish we got to see Sue's responses to Emily's letter. I get why we don't see them, as the editors of the book stated. That's the only reason I didn't give 5 stars.
etbliss's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
“Susan— I would
have come out
of Eden to open
the Door for you
if I had known
you were there.”
have come out
of Eden to open
the Door for you
if I had known
you were there.”