She also addresses memory its threads and galaxies. The poet susan howe is probably best known today for a book published more than thirty years ago that is not by any conventional definition a work of poetry. Authors of new books may forward publishers book descriptions to us by email. Janusfaced modernism and, as editor for the library of america, hart crane. Fat of the land is a welcome kick in the pants to get outside and start foraging for our suppers. Langdon hammer is chair of the english department at yale and the poetry editor of the american scholar. Merrill was born to high privilege and high expectations as the son of charles merrill, the charismatic cofounder of the brokerage firm merrill lynch, and hellen ingram, a muse, ally, and antagonist. A manifesto personism is an excellent essay to read aloud to a lecture filled with twentyyearold kids at yale early in the morning because it possesses the exact flavor of cynical new england wit that every one of us. It traces the career of merrill, the poet, from his pampered. Life and art is a brilliantly marshaled biography of a surprisingly elusive subject. Jun 27, 2017 debths poetry by susan howe a collection in five parts, susan howes electrifying new book opens with a preface by the poet that lays out some of debths inspirationsthe art of paul thek, the isabella stewart gardner collection, and early american writings.
New yorker february 2, 2017 the collected poems of may swenson, edited by lh library of america, 20, 755 pp. Life and art 2015, is among the best literary biographies of the decade. The multiple selves of james merrill emerge in langdon hammer s new biography. Merrill was born to high privilege and high expectations as the son of charles merrill, the charismatic cofounder of merrill lynch, and hellen ingram, a muse, ally, and antagonist throughout her sons life. A literary scholar, biographer, and critic who studies modern and contemporary poetry and poetics, he is especially interested in the relationship between authors lives and their works, the history of biography, and the special difficulty of portraying people in verbal and visual form. Knopf 2015 from chapter 8, days of 1964 1964 65 merrill arrived in athens on september 28.
Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. Langdon hammer, professor of english and chair of the department of english knopf this book. Langdon hammer, chairman of the department of english at yale, earned his b. Merrill was born to high privilege and high expectations as the son of charles merrill. Langdon hammer the washington post, the new york times. Langdon hammer introduction of portrait of the artist as a.
He was awarded the pulitzer prize for poetry in 1977 for divine comedies. Langdon hammer on james merrill and strato mouflouzelis, from james merrill. Langdon hammer has given us the first biography of the poet james merrill 192695, whose life is surely one of the most fascinating in american literature. Life and art knopf, 2015 is a critical biography of the intertwined life and work of james merrill 192695. Life and art knopf and one of the best books ive read this year. James ingram merrill march 3, 1926 february 6, 1995 was an american poet. Sep 28, 2017 the poet susan howe is probably best known today for a book published more than thirty years ago that is not by any conventional definition a work of poetry. Merrill was one of americas greatest poets of the twentieth century, and this book has been a long time in the writing. The years lay open before him, hammer writes, a book of fresh. Life and art, a critical biography, was published by knopf in april 2015. Ive been waiting for it since i first met hammer eight years ago he taught me in graduate school, and hes been working on it for well over a. Smart, funny, and hugely knowledgeable, langdon cook is a walking field guide and a gifted storyteller. Hardwick felt overwhelmed trying to manage the familys. In the new issue of nyrb, langdon hammer considers two books centered around elizabeth hardwick and robert lowell.
Melissa holbrook pierson reads two new books on the writing life from joyce carol oates and mary oliver and finds two wildly different stylists who are both latterday transcendentalists. Langdon hammer was insightful, sprinkling his book with readings of james merrills poetry and giving the authors work context within his life. Langdon hammer on kalstone and merrill james merrills. Although his previous book of poetry, moy sand and gravel, won the pulitzer prize in 2003, and muldoon served from 1999 to 2004 as professor of poetry. Get used books, new books and book rentals at up to 95% off. In his best poems, wright grasps at the radiantly obvious thing in shortlined short lyrics that turn and twist down the page. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Email to friends share on facebook opens in a new window or tab share on twitter. Professor of english at yale and the author of james merrill. We discuss merrills allure as a poet and the alchemy that allowed him to turn base wealth into artistic gold. Hardwick felt overwhelmed trying to manage the familys affairs.
Aug 30, 2016 langdon hammers most recent book, james merrill. Life and art book online at best prices in india on. Langdon hammer, chair of the yale english department, joins the show to talk about his new biography, james merrill. Find langdon hammer s articles, email address, contact information, twitter and more. Life and art, and explores the composition of the changing light at sandover. The author admits to fourteen years as its gestation period, during which time he culled the merrill archives housed mainly at washington university in st.
Which is crucial with this poet, since most of his work is autobiographical to a point where it is difficult to understand many of his poems without some knowledge of his life. My emily dickinson 1985 is a hybrid prose work including elements of literary criticism, cultural history, personal essay, lyric rhapsody, and aesthetic manifesto. May 23, 2016 langdon hammer, newly named as the niel gray jr. Each days mail and effort grows greater and greater. Steve donoghue, open letters monthly langdon hammer s richly textured biography of james merrills life and art, which are so inextricably intertwined, is a work of great candor, insight, and sympathetic imagination. First, in the modern element, hammer took issue with kirschs aesthetic literary. This week, in honor of passover and easter, were returning to christian wimans beautiful essay about what it means to pray. Discount prices on books by langdon hammer, including titles like the fate of difficulty in the poetry of our time. Professor of english, is a literary scholar, biographer, and critic who studies modern and contemporary poetry and poetics.
Descriptions are based on material provided by the publishers. May 15, 2015 author langdon hammer discusses his new book james merrill at lagrua center in stonington, ct may 9, 2015. Janusfaced modernism langdon hammer focusing on the vexed friendship between hart crane and allen tate, this book examines twentiethcentury american poetrys progress toward institutional sanction and professional organization, a process in which sexual identities. Author langdon hammer discusses his new book james merrill at lagrua center in stonington, ct may 9, 2015. He was working on a third book, becoming a poet, at the time of his death published 1989. Lecture 7 world war i poetry in england as author at yale engl 310 modern poetry with professor langdon hammer, 6002 views 6566 views, 44. The ephraim volume, along with langdon hammer s substantial and substantially eloquent biography james merrill. For the first time in greece, he would spend the night in a house of his own. Apr 16, 2015 add to this list langdon hammers new book, james merrill. Louis, which had asked for merrills papers early on for insights, as well as conducted interviews with surviving figures. Langdon hammer combines biography and formalist analysis to argue that american modernism was a janusfaced phenomenon, at once emancipatory and elitist, which simultaneously attacked traditional cultural authority and reconstructed it in new forms. Langdon hammer has given us the first biography of the poet james mer. May 17, 2015 james merrill in 1977, the year his book divine comedies won the pulitzer prize.
The authors discussed range from yeats, eliot, and pound, to stevens, moore, bishop. About langdon hammer as fine as richard ellmanns classic yeats and joyce biographies, and the best book published this year that had anything to do with poetry. I will love you in the summertime by christian wiman. It was a decade after stonewall, and two years before a column in the new york times would announce rare cancer seen in. Langdon hammer introduction of portrait of the artist as. Langdon hammer, nicholas nace, charles altieri, langdon hammer, al filreis edition. I think that sometimes life and language break each other open to change, that a rupture in one can be a rapture in the other, that sometimes there are, as it were, words underneath the wordseven the very. Add to this list langdon hammer s new book, james merrill. Buy langdon hammer ebooks to read online or download in pdf or epub on your pc, tablet or mobile device. I think that sometimes life and language break each other open to change, that a rupture in one can be a rapture in the other, that sometimes there are, as it were, words underneath the. Langdon hammer books list of books by langdon hammer. Steve donoghue, open letters monthly langdon hammers richly textured biography of james merrills life and art, which are so inextricably intertwined, is a work of great candor, insight, and sympathetic imagination. Dec 06, 2012 this course covers the body of modern poetry, its characteristic techniques, concerns, and major practitioners. Ronald reagan was merely an actor who had somehow become the governor of california.
We discuss merrills allure as a poet and the alchemy that. He is writing a critical biography of elizabeth bishop. Like most of heaneys books, it is a compendium of poetic genres. The biography of yale professor langdon hammer, author of james merrill. Langdon hammer has given us the first biography of the poet james merrill. Dec 19, 2019 in 1970 robert lowell was a visiting fellow at all souls college, oxford, and elizabeth hardwick was at home in new york with their thirteenyearold daughter, harriet. The selected letters of hart crane and the library of americas, hart crane. Its our mission to provide individuals with the skills, knowledge and equipment to give them confidence under duress. His lectures on modern poetry are available free online at.
Langdon hammer, chairman of the department of english at yale university, is the author the biography james merrill. Follow to get new release updates and improved recommendations. James merrill in 1977, the year his book divine comedies won the. Langdon hammer department of english, yale university. A collection in five parts, susan howes electrifying new book opens with a preface by the poet that lays out some of debths inspirationsthe art of paul thek, the isabella stewart gardner collection, and early american writings. Langdon hammer on jm and strato james merrills poetry. In 1970 robert lowell was a visiting fellow at all souls college, oxford, and elizabeth hardwick was at home in new york with their thirteenyearold daughter, harriet.
Modern poetry with langdon hammer engl 310 youtube. My work on this book was supported by research fellowships from the guggenheim foundation 200304 and the leon levy center for biography at the graduate center of the city university of new york 2012, and by residential fellowships from the james. Janusfaced modernism and editor of o my land, my friends. Langdon hammer received his ba and phd from yale and joined the english department faculty in 1987. New nigerian novelists, the fate of book startups, and.