Queen of Bohemia: The Life of Louise Bryant

by Mary V. Dearborn

A groundbreaking, comprehensive chronicle of the fascinating and stormy life of social activist Louise Bryant, best known as the wife of radical journalist John Reed, captures the idealism and courage of a nonconforming pioneer of journalism and her tumultuous time.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

Hardcover

First published January 11, 1996

About the author

Biographer and author.

Reviews

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an really well written biography and imminently fascinating for someone interested in early 20th century bohemians, radicals and revolutions.

[Sharry · Rating 5 out of 5]

My curiosity about Louise Bryant was piqued after reading "The Village: 400 Years of Beats and Bohemians, Radicals and Rogues, a history of Greenwich Village." Biographer Mary V. Dearborn skillfully brings Louise Bryant's remarkable and unconventional character to life. She was an eye witness and participant in many world-shaking events and protests which she documented as a working journalist/foreign correspondent and the author of two books on Russia. Her glory days began in 1916 upon her arrival in Greenwich Village where she met radical journalist John "Jack" Reed and became his lover and companion (and later, his wife). They walked side by side in Petrograd during the heart of the Russian Revolution in 1917 and she became an outspoken supporter of the cause. In addition to her interest in politics and world events, she also fought for sexual freedom and women's rights. Her latter years, when she entered a downward spiral, are also fully documented and fascinating to read.

[Angie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up at a local consignment shop having never known the name Louise Bryant. She is a fascinating, complicated, brave, and accomplished woman who lived an atypical-bohemian life. She was a journalist in Russia during the Bolshevik revolution. She was a suffragette and friends with many famous people including Emma Goldman.

[Arcade Annie]

Many of the facts of her life are unknown, partly because, in re-creating herself as a twentieth-century American heroine, she mythologized her past, concealing some details and omitting or changing others.
She was brought up in and near Reno, Nevada, where her mother had relocated because of its proximity to her own stepfather, James Say.

She attended the University of Nevada and was a believer in equality of the sexes, and in women's suffrage. She was an artist and illustrator, a creative and capable writer and journalist, a poet, and briefly, a playwright.

With the advent of the Industrial revolution, World War I, and women's suffrage, there were plenty of issues for Louise to rebel against and rally for. Many other artists and writers who emerged from this time thought the same way.

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well researched book. The author obviously worked hard and has delivered a very enjoyable and insightful biography. Her writing style is almost transparent, allowing the amazing story to stand out. She does, however, interject and reflects in just the right places.

An excellent piece of American history, leftist history, feminist history, and a unique personal life.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

More interesting because it is about Bryant at all --- she has received short shrift because of her association with Reed. But I can't really get excited by the disjointed writing.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great biography, perfectly paced. Most known for her marriage to John Reed and covering the Russian Revolution by his side, Louise had a knack for finding a unique angle to a story, or fidning her way into an interview subject's life. However she was mostly seen as intellectually unserious by others on the left like Emma Goldman, since Louise focused on a personal or sociological angle on events instead of political, and because she cared greatly about her image.

I've seen "Reds" a few times, and always felt instinctively that the script and Diane Keaton's portrayal didn't feel right. Although the biographer has nice things to say about the movie, Louise just doesn't come across very magnetic to me, and she clearly was, she had passionate suitors every where she went. Hemingway was likely enamored with her but downplayed it. "Louise had a way of enthralling egotistical men, and then leaving them fulminating about her lack of response."

The author explores gender very deftly here, I particularly liked the observations on how women are blamed for losing their looks. Louise exploited her looks while she could, and gosh when she lost them how cruel the world was. Well, her paranoia and alcoholism played a part in others disregard for her in the end as well.

[Nola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book and then the penny dropped, I recently watched the film, Reds, and there it was the story of Louise Bryant and Jack Reed. Louise had a passion to be independent and a woman who followed her own path.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Queen of Bohemia: The Life of Louise Bryant (Hardcover)
by Mary V. Dearborn

isbn 0-395-68396-3
see also https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-...

[Amalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary reading.

[Terry]

I'll be reading this biography along with one other and Louise's work on the Russian Revolution.
I anticipate a two week study.