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The Power of Adrienne Rich
A Biography
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Language:
English
Published/Copyright:
2025
About this book
A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice
“A comprehensive biography of . . . one of the most acclaimed poets of her generation and a face of American feminism.”—New York Times
A major American writer, thinker, and activist, Adrienne Rich (1929–2012) transformed herself from a traditional, Radcliffe-educated lyric poet and married mother of three sons into a path-breaking lesbian-feminist author of forceful, uncompromising prose as well as poetry. In doing so, she emerged as an architect and exemplar of the feminist movement, breaking ranks to denounce the male-dominated literary establishment and paving the way for women writers to take their places in the cultural mainstream. Drawing on a wealth of unpublished materials, including Rich’s correspondence and in-depth interviews with many people who knew her, Hilary Holladay provides a vividly detailed, full-dimensional portrait of a woman whose work and life continue to challenge and inspire new generations.
Author / Editor information
Hilary Holladay is a biographer, journalist, and scholar of modern and contemporary American poetry. Her books include Herbert Huncke: The Times Square Hustler Who Inspired Jack Kerouac and the Beat Generation, which was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award, and Wild Blessings: The Poetry of Lucille Clifton.
Reviews
"The first full biography of the hugely talented American poet, Adrienne Rich. . . . It’s also an appreciation of the poetry and. . . a compelling story of an artist on a journey to find their identity."---Terry Potter, The Letterpress Project
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"[Holladay] skillfully keeps the life story on track, deftly weaving scads of deep research together with critical assessment. . . . Holladay has written an expansive, fully-realized biography of a complex American writer who was as much a force as she was a poet."---David Daniel, Arts Fuse
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"Holladay’s comprehensive biography of the trailblazing lesbian-feminist writer, thinker, and activist draws on unpublished materials and rigorous research to paint the most expansive portrait of Rich to date."
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"One of our critic Dwight Garner’s top books of 2020. . . . Holladay skillfully blends literary analysis with a nuanced, humanizing portrait of this second-wave feminist lightning rod."---Laura Thompson, New York Times
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Frontmatter
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Contents
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Preface
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Chapter 1: Baby Genius
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Chapter 2 THE PATRIARCH AND THE WOMAN IN THE BLACK DRESS
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Chapter 3 KINGDOM OF THE MIND 1933–1947
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Chapter 4 THE GIRL WHO WROTE POEMS 1947–1950
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Chapter 5 THE MAKING OF ADRIENNE RICH 1950–1951
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Chapter 6 Toute la Gloire 1951–1952
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Chapter 7 CLEOPATRA OF OXFORD 1952–1953
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Chapter 8 THE UNBORN SELF 1953–1957
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Chapter 9 BURSTING WITH BENZEDRINE AND EMANCIPATION 1958–1963
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Chapter 10 PESSIMISTIC OPTIMIST 1963–1966
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Chapter 11 LIKE THIS TOGETHER 1966–1968
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Chapter 12 WHAT THE AUTUMN KNEW WOULD HAPPEN 1968–1970
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Chapter 13 BRILLIANT, MAD, HUMAN, AND IRREPLACEABLE 1970
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Chapter 14 A WOMAN OF THE 1970S 1970–1972
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Chapter 15 THE BOOK OF MYTHS 1972–1973
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Chapter 16 IN THE NAME OF ALL WOMEN 1974–1975
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Chapter 17 I KNOW MY POWER 1975–1977
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Chapter 18 HYACINTHS RISING LIKE FLAMES 1977–1978
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Chapter 19 MY TRUE UNIVERSITY 1979–1981
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Chapter 20 ANGER AND TENDERNESS 1981–1984
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Chapter 21 WORDS THAT BLEW OUR LIVES APART 1984–1990
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Chapter 22 CITIZEN POET 1991–1998
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Chapter 23 I AM MY ART 1999–2012
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Acknowledgments
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Notes
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Bibliography
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Index
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A NOTE ON THE TYPE
480
Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook published on:
February 18, 2025
eBook ISBN:
9780691276373
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook ISBN:
9780691276373
Audience(s) for this book
For a non-specialist adult audience
