Hermione Lee Bücher

'Mein Gott, wie schreibt man eine Biographie?' Dieses Zitat Virginia Woolfs eröffnet eine Lebensbeschreibung, die in vielen Rezensionen als biographisches Meisterstück gerühmt worden ist. Mit ihrem monumentalen Werk macht Hermione Lee unser Bild von Virginia Woolf um einige Klischees ärmer und um viele Nuancen reicher. Sie setzt sich intensiv und skeptisch mit den oft wiederholten Darstellungen von ihr als Opfer - ihres düsteren viktorianischen Elternhauses, der sexuellen Zudringlichkeit ihrer älteren Brüder, ihrer Geisteskrankheit - auseinander und zeigt, mit welchem Mut Virginia Woolf sich im Lauf ihres Lebens ihren frühen Erfahrungen und inneren Widersprüchen stellte und sie kraftvoll umsetzte in ihr literarisches Werk. Mit großem Feingefühl geht die Autorin den wichtigsten Beziehungen in Virginia Woolfs Leben - zu ihrer Schwester Vanessa, zu ihrem Mann Leonard, zu Vita Sackville-West - nach und definiert sie anders, als man es bisher gewohnt war. Hermione Lee widmet sich ihrem Gegenstand mit leidenschaftlichem Interesse und genauester Kenntnis. Sie kommt zu überraschenden Ergebnissen und präsentiert sie mit schriftstellerischem Glanz.

Der gesundheitliche Zusammenbruch des Vaters beendet die kindliche Idylle, als Elizabeth Bowen sieben Jahre alt ist. Mit ihrer Mutter geht sie nach England, wo die weitverzweigte Familie lebt, und sie von einer Villa zur anderen gereicht werden. Dieser vagabundierende Lebensstil ist die Basis vieler unsicherer Kindheiten, die Bowen in ihren Romanen beschreiben wird.§Nach Jahren im Internat, dem Schulabschluss und zwei Semestern Kunststudium entscheidet sich Elizabeth Bowen anders: sie will das literarische Leben in London "einfangen", wie sie es nennt, und beginnt mit dem Schreiben. Der literarische Erfolg kommt früh: der 1923 veröffentlichte Erzählungsband "Encounters" ist der Auftakt zu einer großen literarischen Karriere. Ihr Haus in London wird zum Treffpunkt der damaligen Schriftsteller-Szene.§Hermione Lee beschreibt das Leben Elizabeth Bowens und führt durch ihre Romane und Erzählungen: entstanden ist das umfassende Portrait einer großen Autorin des 20. Jahrhunderts, die es für Deutschland zu entdecken.

Shelley's heart and Pepys's lobsters -- Virginia Woolf's nose -- Jane Austen faints -- How to end it all.

"A perfect match of writer and subject: one of our most brilliant biographers takes on one of our greatest living playwrights--with his cooperation and access to a trove of hitherto unseen material. Tom Stoppard is a towering and beloved literary figure. Known for his dizzying narrative inventiveness and intense attention to language, he deftly deploys art, science, history, politics, and philosophy in works that span a remarkable spectrum of literary genres: theater, radio, film, TV, journalism, and fiction. His most acclaimed creations--Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The Real Thing, Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Shakespeare in Love--remain as fresh and moving as when they dazzled their first audiences. Stoppard's life, too, is fascinating: born in Czechoslovakia, he escaped the Nazis with his mother and spent his early years in Singapore and India before arriving in England at age eight. Skipping university, he embarked on a brilliant career, becoming close friends over the years with an astonishing array of writers, actors, directors, musicians, and political figures, from Peter O'Toole, Harold Pinter, and Stephen Spielberg to Mick Jagger and Vaclav Havel. Having long described himself as a "bounced Czech," Stoppard was surprised to learn late in life of his Jewish family and the relatives he lost to the Holocaust, secrets his mother had kept from him. Lee's in-depth analysis seamlessly weaves Stoppard's life and work together into a vivid, insightful, and always riveting portrait of a remarkable man"-- Provided by publisher

English writer "Fitzgerald, born into an accomplished intellectual family, the granddaughter of two bishops, led a life marked by dramatic twists of fate, moving from a bishop's palace to a sinking houseboat to a last, late blaze of renown. We see Fitzgerald's very English childhood in the village of Hampstead; her Oxford years, when she was known as the 'blonde bombshell'; her impoverished adulthood as a struggling wife, mother, and schoolteacher, raising a family in difficult circumstances; and the long-delayed start to her literary career"--Amazon.com

Shot through with Stoppard's voice, and illuminating all his plays, Lee's gripping narrative draws on unprecedented access to archive material, interviews and long conversations with Stoppard himself.

The narrative explores the life of an English writer from her privileged upbringing in a bishop's family to her challenging adult years as a struggling wife and mother. It highlights her vibrant childhood in Hampstead and her time at Oxford, where she gained fame as the 'blonde bombshell.' Despite facing poverty and hardship, she eventually experiences a late surge of recognition in her literary career, showcasing her resilience and the dramatic shifts in her life circumstances.

The narrative follows the life of an American novelist, exploring her journey from childhood in Nebraska's prairies to her multifaceted career as a journalist, editor, and teacher. It delves into the connections between her personal experiences and her literary works, highlighting how her identity shaped her writing.

Focusing on Virginia Woolf's nine novels, this insightful introduction aims to shift the spotlight from her life to her literary contributions. It offers clarity and valuable insights, making it an essential resource for students and readers intrigued by Woolf's work, especially amidst ongoing biographical discussions. The book enhances appreciation for Woolf's novels, catering to both enthusiasts and those who have previously found her writing challenging.