Ezra Pound: The Solitary Volcano Book

For me, who knows nothing about Pound (or modernist poetry) and only a little about Modernism, this was a 4-star book. But for someone much better informed, it would probably be a 3-star book.

This is a solid biography that covers Pound's (many) associations and his unusual character (which is vividly portrayed) during a long and interesting life, and includes some (though few in number) interesting insights into the nature of High Modernism along the way. His account of Pound's years at St. Elizabeths is quite detailed and informed; his account of Pound's fascism and antisemitism does not pull any punches, but lacks analytical depth -- it is treated simply as a sort of circus show.

How, for instance, could Pound be such a rabid antisemite, while still being a strong patron of Louis Zukofsky -- even throughout the entire war years? There may be an answer, but Tytell does not even post the question.

Tytell seems to think that Pound's 'insanity' (from 1945-1958) was something of an act, but also leaves no doubt that during his entire life he was, essentialy, nuts. There were always "bats in his belfry" said Dorothy (or was it Olga?), but there were more of them after 1945 (she concluded).

Elsewhere Tytell suggests that there was no evidence, even at St. Elizabeth's, of psychosis or of paranoia, but that he did have a "psychopathic personality with strong neurotic tendencies -- a diagnosis (Tytell notes) which fit[s] a large part of the so-called normal world" (291). He was certainly difficult and narcissistic.

About Pound's poetry itself, on the other hand, Tytell has little to say.