Description
Book SynopsisA biography of the Anglo-American poet and activist Denise Levertov that brings to life one of the major voices of the second half of the twentieth century, when American poetry was a powerful influence worldwide. It chronicles Levertov's role as a passionate social activist in volatile times and her importance as a teacher of writing.
Trade Review"A beautifully written, impeccably researched biography of a great activist poet whom Kenneth Rexroth called the 'most profound, the most modest, and most moving.'" -- Tom Lavoie Shelf Awareness "This biography is the labor of many years and of deep reflection and care... For lovers of Levertov and students of her poetic era and its vast crowd of characters, it will be worth the wait." -- David Mehegan Arts Fuse "Levertov's life is intrinsically interesting; stubbornly individualistic, she subscribed to no particular school of poetry... Her influence remains pervasive." -- Eric Ormsby Times Literary Supplement "Like a good teacher, a good biographer opens doors or shows us new things in rooms to which we thought we already had access... "A Poet's Revolution" turns the many faces of Denise Levertov's poetry to the light. It's a weighty volume, worth every ounce." -- Richard Wakefield Seattle Times "Ladies and gentlemen: the poet is in the world. In more ways than one, now that this new biography of Denise Levertov (author of The Poet in the World) has hit the scene." Poetry Foundation's Harriet Blog "Impressive scope." -- Anne Dewey Resources for American Literary Study "A Poet's Revolution is the fullest account to date of key movements in Levertov's life and art: her development as a poet from World War II to the Vietnam War to the political conflicts of the 1980s and 1990s. Hollenberg deftly moves between biographical and historical context and detailed close reading, refracting Levertov's vast body of work" Against the Current
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Prologue PART ONE. LISTENING TO DISTANT GUNS (1923--1948) 1. "The Walls of the Garden, the First Light": Beginnings (1923--1933) 2. "When Anna Screamed": Levertov's Response to Nazi Oppression (1933--1939) 3. The Double Image: Apprenticeship during World War II (1939--1946) 4. "Recoveries": Abortion, Adventure, and Marriage (1947--1948) PART TWO. A COMMON GROUND (1949--1966) 5. "Dancing Edgeways": Coming of Age as a Poet in the New World (1949--1955) 6. "The True Artist": Levertov's Engagement with Tradition (1954--1960) 7. "The Poem Ascends": Taking a Postion (1960--1963) 8. "To Speak of Sorrow": Levertov's Emergence as a Social Poet (1963--1966) PART THREE. LIFE AT WAR (1966--1974) 9. "Revolution or Death": Living in the Movement (1966--1970) 10. "The Freeing of the Dust": The Revolution Hits Home (1970--1974) PART FOUR. SLEEPERS AWAKE (1975--1988) 11. "A Woman Alone": Beginning Again (1975--1981) 12. "The Task": Social Protest and Liberation Theology (1982--1988) PART FIVE. RESETTLING (1989--1997) 13. "Of Shadow and Flame": The Re-cognition of Identity (1989--1992) 14: "Beauty Growls from the Fertile Dark": Facing Death (1992--1997) Notes Bibliography Acknowledgment of Permissions Index
