Selected Works

by Evelyn Helmick Hively

In the 1920s, Elinor Wylie's poetry and novels were critically acclaimed and enjoyed popularity in both the United States and England. Her poems were published in the Century, the New Republic, and the Saturday Review of Literature, and she was described by contemporaries as an icon of the age. Much of the charm of Wylie's work is in her humor as well as in her understanding and mastery of so many poetic forms. Her magazine stories and articles from Vanity Fair, the New Yorker, and other leading periodicals of the twenties demonstrate her virtuosity and are illustrative of the era. Selected Works of Elinor Wylie contains 113 of the 161 poems she chose for the volumes published in her lifetime, and 100 more that appeared in Collected Poems and Last Poems. Also included are the first chapters of each of her novels, Jennifer Lorn, The Venetian Glass Nephew, The Orphan Angel, and Mr. Hodge and Mr. Hazard. Editor and scholar Evelyn Hively has chosen short stories, essays, reviews, and articles to further define Wylie's rich and broad repertoire and her place in the 1920s literary scene. Scholars and researchers of this modern woman writer and her contemporaries will find this a welcome addition to women's literary studies.

Genres: Poetry

216 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2005

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I began this collection with high hopes and a real liking of Elinor Wylie. But her poems are TOO MUCH. To me, most of them don't sing or change the air around you or put your heart in a vice. But poetry is poetry and who's to say what's good and what isn't. She was clearly a very intelligent woman and some of these works really sparkle but she certainly won't be replacing Millay in my heart.

[Lynn Stilborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very sombre read. My favorite poem was not included.