She Walks in Beauty

by Dawn Powell

Hardcover; Good +; Beautiful bright yellow cover, shows some dirt. Binding is tight, no marks or tears inside book. Inscription from mother on inside cover. A very nice book.

284 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1928

About the author

Dawn Powell was an American writer of satirical novels and stories that manage to be barbed and sensitive at the same time.

Reviews

[Bailey Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I was reading my first ever First Edition. Therefore each page felt extra special; delicate and loved, but then I love all of Dawn Powell's work; the fact it was a first edition made it more dear, almost beloved knowing it was living right alongside its author Dawn Powell back in 1928.

I purchased it from Amazon, from a third party, setting me back 250 USD; again, for all of us 'in the know', our girl Dawn will always be a cult and never a religion, hence the affordable amount for such a prized and most precious possession.

Secondly, the title. A special quote, originally lifted from Lord Byron's poem written in 1814. The idyllic quote steadies the heart, stands alone, then prepares us for a journey. And the journey's both quaint and cutting as Dawn is lifting a lot of material from her past. So many boarding houses and so many crazy characters from way back when, set in Birchfield. It is funny and clear and kind and all Dawn, all day long.

The younger sister, Dorrie; dreamy, bright and plain, is a stand in for Powell, as Gore Vidal noted, when reviewing Powell's entire oeuvre. It's cutting sure, but it's also filled to the brim with empathy, something we seemed to have a lot of time for, back then. The book is worthy of a read because it's surprisingly romantic coming from Powell and takes pride in its title, honoring it, also, full of childhood, straightforward and simple. It's realistic, yet remains completely sweet in a way.

Oh I do recommend you read it, we need to read Dawn Powell as often as possible; it's good for the soul, she gifts us by gathering so much magic. My first edition still lives, a bit frayed but in pretty good shape. Dawn Powell's words however, as sharp and modern as ever. Bravissima Dawn Powell.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

She walks in beauty

A bit mystified by the title. But this is Powell at her best. I’m getting the hang of her now. There is a hard done by virtuous woman, a mouthy ingenue, and a ‘pump’. All the men are somehow hopeless. And I love it. Well done, Madam, you have a keen eye. The wit flows and I can hardly stop laughing. It’s not from the belly, but from the head. This woman could have written for the Economist. Love her.

[Livvy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good! The vibes reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird. There's no racism though, and it's set in a different time period, but the sort of countryside camaraderie was the same. The only thing I would have changed was making it clearer to the reader how time was passing; it seemed like in one scene Dorrie was 15 and then in the next she was graduating high school. But overall very good.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful read. Years ago, I read of a couple of the author's NYC books but this was the first I read from her Ohio books. It did remind me of Sinclair Lewis and Sherwood Anderson but Powell's acerbic writing and character assassinations are in full force. The book was full of memorable characters and hopefully, she will follow through on their lives in later books.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Linda is bitter at living on the "wrong side of the tracks" and is embarrassed by her dreamy sister and wacky grandma as she pines for a guy who is completely out of her league.
Dawn Powell once again displays people's ugly natures.