Valerie Loveland reviewed Life studies by Robert Lowell
None
3 stars
I read [b:Life Studies|385580|Life Studies|Robert Lowell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1221014170s/385580.jpg|375292] because I recently picked up [b:Words in Air: The Complete Correspondence Between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell|3120276|Words in Air The Complete Correspondence Between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell|Elizabeth Bishop|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256132457s/3120276.jpg|3151608], and I wanted to read some of both writer's poetry before I read their correspondence. I also read a lot of biographies about writers like [b:Dream Song: The Life of John Berryman|334568|Dream Song The Life of John Berryman|Paul Mariani|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266527301s/334568.jpg|325052] and [b:The Fading Smile: Poets in Boston from Robert Lowell to Sylvia Plath|125216|The Fading Smile Poets in Boston from Robert Lowell to Sylvia Plath|Peter Davison|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171896749s/125216.jpg|120597] which mentioned a lot about Lowell, even if they weren't primarily about him. There is also Anne Sexton's poem about taking classes with Lowell as he was having a bout of mental illness. I felt like I already knew so much about him before reading one of his books.
It was …
I read [b:Life Studies|385580|Life Studies|Robert Lowell|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1221014170s/385580.jpg|375292] because I recently picked up [b:Words in Air: The Complete Correspondence Between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell|3120276|Words in Air The Complete Correspondence Between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell|Elizabeth Bishop|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256132457s/3120276.jpg|3151608], and I wanted to read some of both writer's poetry before I read their correspondence. I also read a lot of biographies about writers like [b:Dream Song: The Life of John Berryman|334568|Dream Song The Life of John Berryman|Paul Mariani|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266527301s/334568.jpg|325052] and [b:The Fading Smile: Poets in Boston from Robert Lowell to Sylvia Plath|125216|The Fading Smile Poets in Boston from Robert Lowell to Sylvia Plath|Peter Davison|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171896749s/125216.jpg|120597] which mentioned a lot about Lowell, even if they weren't primarily about him. There is also Anne Sexton's poem about taking classes with Lowell as he was having a bout of mental illness. I felt like I already knew so much about him before reading one of his books.
It was really nice seeing where confessional got its start. My favorite poems were in parts 3 and 4 of the book, and I liked part 4 (the most confessional) best of all. The poems in the beginning were kind of cold, and the I felt like the other poems at the end invited me closer. I liked reading about Lowell's family, especially his grandparents and mother. Their portraits are vivid.
My favorite poems in this book:
For Sale (The "Words,Words,Words" at the top of this web page made me laugh)
Waking in the Blue
Skunk Hour (You can listen to the audio at this site)
To Delmore Schwartz