Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson proved that brevity can be beautiful. Only now is her complete oeuvre--all 1,775 poems--available in its original form, uncorrupted by editorial revision, in one volume. Thomas H. Johnson, a longtime Dickinson scholar, arranged the poems in chronological order as far as could be ascertained (the dates for more than 100 are unknown). This organization allows a wide-angle view of Dickinson's poetic development, from the sometimes-clunky rhyme schemes of her juvenilia, including valentines she wrote in the early 1850s, to the gloomy, hell-obsessed writings from her last years. Quite a difference from requisite Dickinson entries in literary anthologies: "There's a certain Slant of light," "Wild Nights--Wild Nights!" and "I taste a liquor never brewed." The book was compiled from Thomas H. Johnson's hard-to-find variorum from 1955. While some explanatory notes would have been helpful, it's a prodigious collection, showcasing Dickinson's intractable obsession with nature, including death.

DVD: This fascinating series presents an informative and entertaining look at some of the greatest women writers of all time. The programs provide an in-depth look into their lives, and include numerous examples of their works while examining their styles which made them unique in the literary world. These original programs also feature many rare archival photographs and period imagery. The American poet Emily Dickinson decided against publishing her poems, and during her lifetime only seven of her works were ever published. During the Civil War she wrote over 800 poems, many of which were not completed and written on scraps of paper. The later years of her life were primarily spent in mourning due to the numerous deaths among her family and friends. At her death she left behind over 2000 poems. As a result of Emily Dickinson's life of solitude, she was able to focus on her world more sharply than other authors of her time.

This Companion consists of 14 essays by leading international scholars. They provide a series of new perspectives on one of the most enigmatic and widely read American writers. These essays, specially tailored to the needs of undergraduates, examine all of Dickinson's writings, letters and criticism, and place her work in a variety of literary, cultural and political contexts. The volume will be of interest to scholars and students. It features a detailed chronology and a comprehensive guide to further reading.