The Letters of Sylvia Plath Vol 2

“Engaging and revealing, The Letters of Sylvia Plath offers a captivating look into the life and inner thinking of one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.” — Paul Alexander, Washington Post

The second volume in the definitive, complete collection of the letters of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Sylvia Plath, from the early years of her marriage to Ted Hughes to the final days leading to her suicide in 1963, many never before seen.

One of the most talented and beloved poets, Sylvia Plath continues to fascinate and inspire the modern literary imagination. The tragedy of her untimely death at age thirty, almost fifty-five years ago, has left much unknown about her creative and personal life. In this remarkable second volume of the iconic poet and writer’s collected letters, the full range of Plath’s ambitions, talents, fears, and perspective is made visible through her own powerful words.

As engaging as they are revealing, these remarkable letters cover the years from 1957 to 1963. They detail the last six tumultuous and prolific years of her life, covering her marriage to Ted Hughes, the births of her children Frieda and Nicholas, her early success, including the publication of the classic The Bell Jar, and her ongoing struggle with depression.

The first compendium of its kind to include all of Plath’s letters from this period, The Letters of Sylvia Plath Volume 2 offers an intimate portrait of the writing life and mind of one of the most celebrated poets in literary history.

This complete, unabridged collection reveals Plath in her own words:

• Her Tumultuous Marriage: Unflinching letters document the passionate, complex, and ultimately tragic marriage to fellow poet Ted Hughes, including the previously unseen correspondence that charts its final disintegration.
• The Mind of a Writer: An intimate look into Plath’s writing life, detailing her literary ambitions, the publication of her classic novel The Bell Jar, and the creation of the poems that would form Ariel.
• A Poet’s Struggle with Depression: Candid letters to her psychiatrist, Dr. Ruth Beuscher, and others provide a powerful, firsthand account of her ongoing battle with mental illness in the years leading to her suicide.
• Motherhood and Ambition: Experience Plath's perspective on becoming a mother to Frieda and Nicholas, balancing family life with the fierce drive that defined her as one of the 20th century’s most important women writers.