Reviews for Selected Letters of Yvor Winters

The average rating for Selected Letters of Yvor Winters based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2018-02-26 00:00:00 Mark Brunell This might be an essential read for anyone who seriously delves into James Joyce's novel Finnegans Wake. Thornton Wilder, of course, is the celebrated novelist. He was a devotee of Joyce's novel and once advised that those who read it should do so every day. (Reading these letters I think Wilder didn't practice the discipline he advised.) Adaline Glasheen was a Joyce scholar and author of the acclaimed study A Census of Finnegans Wake, which went through three ever-larger editions. The correspondence between Wilder and Glasheen began in 1950 and continued until his death in 1975. Valuable information, broad discussions of the novel as well as close line-by-line examinations and learned insight into the depths of the difficult novel passed between them during the 25 years of their friendship. Each subject, item, or reference discussed is carefully noted by page and line so that the eager reader can add the annotations to his copy of the novel, if he has the energy for hundreds of them and any marginal space left. These letters are immensely helpful in that way. In addition, there are 14 (count'em, 14!) appendices made up of essays and scholarly papers written by the two of them. As I say, essential information and fascinating reading for those who admire the novel.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-07-12 00:00:00 Juan Pereida I have a feeling that every volume of Twain's letters will garner a 5 star rating. So far they contain the very essence of Twain,his inner feelings, thoughts, and humor that give me a true feeling of Americana from that era. Absolutely a necessary companion piece to any of Twain's novels.