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Ina Coolbrith: The Bittersweet Song of California's First Poet Laureate
Bronze medal from the Independent Publisher Book Awards (biography)
"Ina Coolbrith: The Bittersweet Song of California’s First Poet Laureate" is a new biography about a pioneer poet, Oakland’s first public librarian, and the most popular literary ambassador in the early American West.
California named Coolbrith its first poet laureate in 1915 during San Francisco’s Panama-Pacific International Exposition, and 2015 marks her centennial of being named California's beloved first lady of poetry and America's first laureate.
George’s deftly told and deeply researched book follows the struggles and triumphs of Coolbrith from her birth in 1841 as a niece of Joseph Smith to her death in 1928 as California’s most beloved poet. Covering territory from California's goldfields to the young pueblo of Los Angeles and back to the Golden Gate, Coolbrith's story parallels California's adolescence. The book also tells the story of how the young Coolbrith slipped into the male-dominated, literary world of post–Gold Rush San Francisco where Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir got their start; how as a librarian she mentored Jack London and Isadora Duncan; and how in her eighties an unrequited love for poetry and a handsome young protégé named Carl drove her to Roaring Twenties New York where she was lauded by the Poetry Society of America.
Coolbrith was a working class woman and the primary breadwinner for her family. She met with a series of challenges throughout her life that tested her devotion to her art, but in the end, she put her full faith in poetry and her story reveals the saving grace of creativity in a woman’s life.
"Ina Coolbrith: The Bittersweet Song of California’s First Poet Laureate" is a new biography about a pioneer poet, Oakland’s first public librarian, and the most popular literary ambassador in the early American West.
California named Coolbrith its first poet laureate in 1915 during San Francisco’s Panama-Pacific International Exposition, and 2015 marks her centennial of being named California's beloved first lady of poetry and America's first laureate.
George’s deftly told and deeply researched book follows the struggles and triumphs of Coolbrith from her birth in 1841 as a niece of Joseph Smith to her death in 1928 as California’s most beloved poet. Covering territory from California's goldfields to the young pueblo of Los Angeles and back to the Golden Gate, Coolbrith's story parallels California's adolescence. The book also tells the story of how the young Coolbrith slipped into the male-dominated, literary world of post–Gold Rush San Francisco where Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and John Muir got their start; how as a librarian she mentored Jack London and Isadora Duncan; and how in her eighties an unrequited love for poetry and a handsome young protégé named Carl drove her to Roaring Twenties New York where she was lauded by the Poetry Society of America.
Coolbrith was a working class woman and the primary breadwinner for her family. She met with a series of challenges throughout her life that tested her devotion to her art, but in the end, she put her full faith in poetry and her story reveals the saving grace of creativity in a woman’s life.
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2015
2 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Aleta George
1 book13 followersAleta George is a journalist who writes about nature and culture in California. She lives at the northeast edge of the San Francisco Bay where land meets water and city meets farms. Her work has been published in Smithsonian.com, San Francisco Chronicle, High Country News, Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, Bay Nature, California, and several travel anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 17, 2016
What a remarkable woman. Though not born in California, she lived here from a tender age and made her mark. She is as "Californian" as anyone in legend and life. Tragedy and triumph. I especially enjoyed the details in the book about Ina's early life in the Pueblo of Los Angeles. This is where my roots are as a Mexican-American born in central LA; and it was fascinating to read the street names, landmarks and mentions of life in "Mexican" Los Angeles of the earliest U.S. days post 1848. This is a story not often told, and Aleta George made this come alive for me. I read the book with additional fascination, as I also lived in Oakland for many years and had come to hear the names Ina Coolbrith, Joaquin Miller and Jack London without understanding their social connections or history in Oakland and the Bay Area literary scene. A great biography, especially for Bay Area devotees and for those who like stories of strong, quirky, pioneering women.
November 14, 2019
Excellent biography of a fascinating little-known woman. George has done her research and she deftly weaves what she's learned into a compelling portrait of a writer struggling to be heard.
August 4, 2015
I spent a little time pondering whether this book would appeal to someone who didn't already have an interest in California history or in Ina Coolbrith or her circle, and decided the answer was a definite yes. Aleta George has done a great job of documenting the life of this flawed but talented, ambitious, strong-minded woman and her place in early California society. I was particularly intrigued to read about her Mormon origins (the religion's founder, Joseph Smith, was her uncle). As a young woman she carried on a vigorous and sometimes heated correspondence with her cousin Joseph Fielding Smith, who tried to persuade her to move to Utah and accept polygamy. She played a significant role in the lives of the writers Joaquin Miller, Bret Harte, and Jack London, among many others, although she was often frustrated by her supporting role. The sexism of her era held her back at almost every turn--appointed head librarian of the Oakland Library, she was paid less than her male subordinate (who was eventually given her position). She did, however, gain the singular honor of being California's first poet laureate. The life and times of this period in Western history are vividly realized in George's book.
March 14, 2019
Fascinating book about California's first poet laureate who was also the niece of Joseph Smith and a friend of Bret Harte, Mark Twain, Joaquin Miller, Charles Stoddard, and every other well-known author of Coolbrith's lifetime. Her story is one of loss, betrayal, murder, and more. Yet, through it all, her spirit shines. Aleta George has done her research, and it's all meticulously documented. A must-read for anyone interested in California history, Mormon history, literature of the American west, women poets, the history of California libraries.
November 13, 2019
By TopHat
Ina Coolbrith was named California’s first Poet Laureate in 1915. A century later, Aleta George published her biography, which I recommend you all find copies of and read.
Ina grew up as a child in Los Angeles, published her first poem in the Los Angeles Star at 15. She married at 17 there, lost her only child, divorced by age 21, and moved to San Francisco. When her sister Agnes, died, she supported her niece and nephew while also caring for her mother who died 2 years later. As a prominent writer and editor, she hosted many California writers and artists in her homes in San Francisco and Oakland: Mark Twain, John Muir, Mary Austin, Warren Stoddard, Isadora Duncan, George Sterling, and many more. She was Oakland’s first public librarian and spent grueling long hours there and also encouraged the voracious reading of young people such as Jack London.
She was also the daughter of Agnes Moulton Coolbrith and Don Carlos Smith, Joseph Smith Jr.’s younger brother. After Don Carlos died, Ina’s mother married Joseph as one of his plural wives. She felt neglected in her relationship with Joseph and after his death, left the Church and took her children to St. Louis where she remarried before traveling west to California.
To continue reading: https://www.the-exponent.com/book-rev...
Ina Coolbrith was named California’s first Poet Laureate in 1915. A century later, Aleta George published her biography, which I recommend you all find copies of and read.
Ina grew up as a child in Los Angeles, published her first poem in the Los Angeles Star at 15. She married at 17 there, lost her only child, divorced by age 21, and moved to San Francisco. When her sister Agnes, died, she supported her niece and nephew while also caring for her mother who died 2 years later. As a prominent writer and editor, she hosted many California writers and artists in her homes in San Francisco and Oakland: Mark Twain, John Muir, Mary Austin, Warren Stoddard, Isadora Duncan, George Sterling, and many more. She was Oakland’s first public librarian and spent grueling long hours there and also encouraged the voracious reading of young people such as Jack London.
She was also the daughter of Agnes Moulton Coolbrith and Don Carlos Smith, Joseph Smith Jr.’s younger brother. After Don Carlos died, Ina’s mother married Joseph as one of his plural wives. She felt neglected in her relationship with Joseph and after his death, left the Church and took her children to St. Louis where she remarried before traveling west to California.
To continue reading: https://www.the-exponent.com/book-rev...
March 22, 2015
I was quickly drawn into this story that begins with fifteen year old Ina Coolbrith attending school for the first time in Los Angeles and being inspired by her discovery of the self-educated poet Edward Pollack. Until then, Ina had been exposed to more classical forms of poetry. “Pollock’s poem was set in a place she knew, and that cracked open a landscape of possibility inside of her. It served as a ‘revelation that poetry was, or could be, written in California.’” That revelation would lead her to write a poem for school that would become the teenager’s first published work.
Aleta George spent ten years pouring over newspaper and journal clippings, diaries, literary works, and even Coolbrith’s scrapbook to unearth the quotes, observations and insights that provide an intimate look into the relationships and events that shaped this remarkable woman, one who actively tried to avoid such exposure.
The first section of the book recounts Coolbrith’s early life among the Mormons of Illinois (she was the niece of Mormon founder Joseph Smith) and the move west to California. George carefully crafts the material into dramatic stories that, at times, are real nail-biters: the disturbing inner workings of the Mormon community, the tension between the government and an increasingly belligerent Mormon leadership, the fallout from Coolbrith’s first marriage, and the family’s eventual move to San Francisco where they reinvent themselves.
It’s in San Francisco that Coolbrith blooms and matures: in notoriety, wit, and ambition. As her reputation as a poet grows, so does her confidence and the texture of her personality. George takes us into living rooms, parlors, and editorial offices where Coolbrith consoles, cajoles, and spars with the likes of Brett Harte, Charles Stoddard, and Mark Twain. Throughout, she weaves exquisite historical detail into the story, rendering 1860s San Francisco as a vivid stage for the narrative.
One of my favorite literary scenes was a gathering of writers at the Oakland hills ranch of Adeline Knapp in 1895. From notes taken by a reporter in attendance, we are are allowed to eavesdrop on what became something of a scholarly donnybrook over poetry. After a few lofty statements about it being “the language of the gods,” the hostess proclaims, “[Poets] tear the language from limb to limb in their efforts to express what is inexpressible, unexistent. They give us words, words, words, wrenched from their natural meanings, and arranged in all sorts of unnatural forms…” It’s just one example of the often caustic banter Coolbrith and her contemporaries toss at each other throughout the book.
George probes many of Coolbrith’s relationships throughout her life. Being a Charles Keeler fan, I was particularly touched by the accounts of their long, close friendship. Of a collection of her poetry Keeler once wrote, “It may not have been great poetry, but we were sure that it was genuine. It rang true.” But as time passes, we see the relationship between them grow and deepen. Keeler becomes a champion of Coolbrith’s work and later likens her to “a poet with the artistry of an English Tennyson.”
As the title suggests, we witness much of Coolbrith’s life wracked with hardship, adversity and loss. At times, she must abandon her art altogether. Speaking of her poetry at one point, she tells her brother, “The bird forgot its notes and the wings their flight.” George does a good job of letting us feel the impact of these personal tragedies without becoming morose. Quite the opposite, we see in Coolbrith a resilience and determination to survive.
In the prologue, George tells us, “Writing a biography is an intimate affair. I love spending time with Coolbrith…” Further on, she continues, “She loved California and worked to capture its natural beauty in language, something that I also strive for in my work.” We see that dynamic in play in George’s prose which is finely turned yet unobtrusive throughout. It is her enthusiasm and affection for Coolbrith and California that gives this biography its vitality and crystal clear resonance.
Aleta George spent ten years pouring over newspaper and journal clippings, diaries, literary works, and even Coolbrith’s scrapbook to unearth the quotes, observations and insights that provide an intimate look into the relationships and events that shaped this remarkable woman, one who actively tried to avoid such exposure.
The first section of the book recounts Coolbrith’s early life among the Mormons of Illinois (she was the niece of Mormon founder Joseph Smith) and the move west to California. George carefully crafts the material into dramatic stories that, at times, are real nail-biters: the disturbing inner workings of the Mormon community, the tension between the government and an increasingly belligerent Mormon leadership, the fallout from Coolbrith’s first marriage, and the family’s eventual move to San Francisco where they reinvent themselves.
It’s in San Francisco that Coolbrith blooms and matures: in notoriety, wit, and ambition. As her reputation as a poet grows, so does her confidence and the texture of her personality. George takes us into living rooms, parlors, and editorial offices where Coolbrith consoles, cajoles, and spars with the likes of Brett Harte, Charles Stoddard, and Mark Twain. Throughout, she weaves exquisite historical detail into the story, rendering 1860s San Francisco as a vivid stage for the narrative.
One of my favorite literary scenes was a gathering of writers at the Oakland hills ranch of Adeline Knapp in 1895. From notes taken by a reporter in attendance, we are are allowed to eavesdrop on what became something of a scholarly donnybrook over poetry. After a few lofty statements about it being “the language of the gods,” the hostess proclaims, “[Poets] tear the language from limb to limb in their efforts to express what is inexpressible, unexistent. They give us words, words, words, wrenched from their natural meanings, and arranged in all sorts of unnatural forms…” It’s just one example of the often caustic banter Coolbrith and her contemporaries toss at each other throughout the book.
George probes many of Coolbrith’s relationships throughout her life. Being a Charles Keeler fan, I was particularly touched by the accounts of their long, close friendship. Of a collection of her poetry Keeler once wrote, “It may not have been great poetry, but we were sure that it was genuine. It rang true.” But as time passes, we see the relationship between them grow and deepen. Keeler becomes a champion of Coolbrith’s work and later likens her to “a poet with the artistry of an English Tennyson.”
As the title suggests, we witness much of Coolbrith’s life wracked with hardship, adversity and loss. At times, she must abandon her art altogether. Speaking of her poetry at one point, she tells her brother, “The bird forgot its notes and the wings their flight.” George does a good job of letting us feel the impact of these personal tragedies without becoming morose. Quite the opposite, we see in Coolbrith a resilience and determination to survive.
In the prologue, George tells us, “Writing a biography is an intimate affair. I love spending time with Coolbrith…” Further on, she continues, “She loved California and worked to capture its natural beauty in language, something that I also strive for in my work.” We see that dynamic in play in George’s prose which is finely turned yet unobtrusive throughout. It is her enthusiasm and affection for Coolbrith and California that gives this biography its vitality and crystal clear resonance.
December 15, 2015
Fascinating story, if somewhat sad. I've been curious about Ina Coolbrith ever since I came across the plaque about her in the tiny park named after her on Russian Hill, so I could not resist buying this bio from the author's booth at the Berkeley Book festival earlier this year. Coolbrith was the daughter of the youngest brother of the founder of the Mormon church, and was named Josephine in her uncle's honor (eventually shortened to Ina). Her family ended up in Los Angeles instead of Salt Lake, and she left the church and kept her origins secret for the rest of her life. After early recognition of her poetry, she ended up saddled with supporting her family and got stuck working long hours at the Oakland Library instead of writing. Jack London and Isadora Duncan both credited her with helping them as young library patrons, so whatever she thought about that work, it certainly was appreciated by others. Before that happened, she was close to all the important writers of her day -- Bret Harte, Mark Twain, Joaquin Miller (it was her idea to change his name to Joaquin) -- and she was an inspiration to many others for the rest of her life -- and beyond, in that the Ina Coolbrith Circle still meets and indeed subsidized publication of this book. It much of the story is about the contrast of the public perception of her as glorious poet and her own frustration and not being able to write because supporting her family (and eventually illness) left her no time, space, or energy to call her own. The story took a particularly sad turn when the 1906 earthquake and fire destroyed her home and possessions, including a nearly completed manuscript for a book on the early literary history of California (apologies for the spoiler), which might have been the book that would have freed her from the need to earn her living. Despite the fact that I have given you some idea of the story, you might still want to read this if you are interested in history, or women's creativity and the drudgery that so often thwarted it. The funny thing about this is that I am not especially wild about the poetry -- I am no judge of poetry, it seems fine, but not my cup of tea -- yet I find the poet very compelling, and really enjoyed the book.
August 26, 2015
Ina Coolbrith was one of California's most treasured yet forgotten 19th century figures who lived on into the 20th. Sadly, her story is not well known and I hope this book will change that. It should be required reading in high school language arts classes and put on the list of valued resources for reports in US History classes in high school and in college. It also needs to be in every library. The author is to be commended for her intensive and valuable research.
She loved to write her poems and had a passion for writing; any writer can identify with that. While she is well known as a poet, her struggles to achieve recognition and acceptance as described by Ms. George are beyond belief. She still became a leader in culture and language, remarkable for her time and the hardships she endured; yet she remained a loving and supportive figure to those who needed her.
The author also tells many stories not commonly known about Ina, her family background and where she lived. One receives an intimate picture of life in California at that time in a way a photo cannot give. Ina's pioneer family, their history, her friends and network were truly amazing.
Ina Coolbrith almost single-handedly made it popular to use the library in a time when many people didn't have access to high quality reading material, especially in the West. She fostered young writers and influenced many of the great ones of her day.
I agree with another reviewer who said the picture of her as an imaginative young girl makes you want to know the rest of the story. Couldn't put it down!
She loved to write her poems and had a passion for writing; any writer can identify with that. While she is well known as a poet, her struggles to achieve recognition and acceptance as described by Ms. George are beyond belief. She still became a leader in culture and language, remarkable for her time and the hardships she endured; yet she remained a loving and supportive figure to those who needed her.
The author also tells many stories not commonly known about Ina, her family background and where she lived. One receives an intimate picture of life in California at that time in a way a photo cannot give. Ina's pioneer family, their history, her friends and network were truly amazing.
Ina Coolbrith almost single-handedly made it popular to use the library in a time when many people didn't have access to high quality reading material, especially in the West. She fostered young writers and influenced many of the great ones of her day.
I agree with another reviewer who said the picture of her as an imaginative young girl makes you want to know the rest of the story. Couldn't put it down!
July 18, 2015
I would say that this is just one of the most insightful book I have ever read. I never read non- fiction books. If I had it was usually fro school is this was quite the change of pace for me. But I loved it. I though that it was just so interesting to read and just perfectly put together.
It did take me a while to finish the book. This was due to many things. However sometimes the story just lost me. But that was just due to me and other books I was excited about made me forget about this one. However getting back to this book I just felt as though I knew Ina personally. Which is so bizarre.
I got this book in a giveaway through goodreads however this in no way or shape affected my thoughts or opinion on the book.
The main reason why I think this book deserved a 4/5 star was because it was interesting most of the time. It does want to make me read more non fiction books and biographies.
I would recommend this book if you like book like this or you want to try something new like I did.
It did take me a while to finish the book. This was due to many things. However sometimes the story just lost me. But that was just due to me and other books I was excited about made me forget about this one. However getting back to this book I just felt as though I knew Ina personally. Which is so bizarre.
I got this book in a giveaway through goodreads however this in no way or shape affected my thoughts or opinion on the book.
The main reason why I think this book deserved a 4/5 star was because it was interesting most of the time. It does want to make me read more non fiction books and biographies.
I would recommend this book if you like book like this or you want to try something new like I did.
May 10, 2016
Excellent book about an excellent lady. Also there's important California history here.
Sobering to read about the struggles of early California poets like George Sterling and Ina, particularly Ina. The dear spends her life working and tending to others and then is often betrayed by her friends and family members--all the work and drama keeping her from writing the poetry she longs to write.
Joaquin Miller, Charles Warren Stoddard and Ina--names most present day people have never heard of but, in their day, together they were an important force in California literature.
Most intriguing tidbit from the book: Charles Warren Stoddard's escapes to tropical lands to cavort with young men leaves him with a store of South Sea tales--which he tells to a young Robert Louis Stevenson who, in turn, is inspired to write Treasure Island and other books set in the same locale.
Sobering to read about the struggles of early California poets like George Sterling and Ina, particularly Ina. The dear spends her life working and tending to others and then is often betrayed by her friends and family members--all the work and drama keeping her from writing the poetry she longs to write.
Joaquin Miller, Charles Warren Stoddard and Ina--names most present day people have never heard of but, in their day, together they were an important force in California literature.
Most intriguing tidbit from the book: Charles Warren Stoddard's escapes to tropical lands to cavort with young men leaves him with a store of South Sea tales--which he tells to a young Robert Louis Stevenson who, in turn, is inspired to write Treasure Island and other books set in the same locale.
March 7, 2022
I was born and raised in California yet I had never even heard of Ina! Thank goodness for this bio.
December 19, 2017
I’ve been a member of the Ina Coolbrith Circle for many years and, while I knew bits & pieces of her story, I never read a complete biography. What an amazing woman!
Ina Coolbrith came to California as a child, in a wagon train led by Jim Beckwourth. She was related to Joseph Smith, the Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints and kept in touch with the family for most of her life, although she left the Church. She had only two years of formal education, but her poetry was praised by major writers and poets at the turn of the Twentieth Century. She was recognized as Poet Laureate of California, the first State Poet Laureate the U.S. Her home was the meeting place for the literati of California’s Golden Age—her friends included Mark Twain, Bret Harte, and Ambrose Bierce. She was the first librarian in Oakland and an honorary member of the Bohemian Club. Joseph Duncan, father of Isadora, claimed Ina as his only true love.
Ina Coolbrith did this while caring for her family, both domestically and financially, which limited her writing. She raised Calla Shasta, Joaquin Miller’s daughter, with no help from Miller. She carried on an extensive correspondence with John Muir, Gertrude Atherton, and others.
Today, Ms. Coolbrith’s poems are forgotten—they are out of style (she hated free verse). Reading them now brings images of a time when California and San Francisco were still new and raw, the edge of the continent. Aleta George has done a marvelous job in showcasing the woman and her importance in California history in prose that is accessible and entertaining.
Ina Coolbrith came to California as a child, in a wagon train led by Jim Beckwourth. She was related to Joseph Smith, the Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints and kept in touch with the family for most of her life, although she left the Church. She had only two years of formal education, but her poetry was praised by major writers and poets at the turn of the Twentieth Century. She was recognized as Poet Laureate of California, the first State Poet Laureate the U.S. Her home was the meeting place for the literati of California’s Golden Age—her friends included Mark Twain, Bret Harte, and Ambrose Bierce. She was the first librarian in Oakland and an honorary member of the Bohemian Club. Joseph Duncan, father of Isadora, claimed Ina as his only true love.
Ina Coolbrith did this while caring for her family, both domestically and financially, which limited her writing. She raised Calla Shasta, Joaquin Miller’s daughter, with no help from Miller. She carried on an extensive correspondence with John Muir, Gertrude Atherton, and others.
Today, Ms. Coolbrith’s poems are forgotten—they are out of style (she hated free verse). Reading them now brings images of a time when California and San Francisco were still new and raw, the edge of the continent. Aleta George has done a marvelous job in showcasing the woman and her importance in California history in prose that is accessible and entertaining.
December 28, 2021
The tone of the book is like the subject of the story, Ina Coolbrith who wrote for herself and not to elevate or entertain the readers. Though the research is extensive and the poetry is excellent( hence the 2 stars), the writing is colorless at best, plus the characters are referred by their first names in dialogues and their last names in the narrative, making it annoyingly difficult to remember who was who. It was a struggle to finish the book, and I persevered through it only because my son had bought it for me.
September 18, 2019
If you like biographies, this is a great one. If you're not into biographies, you can move on. But Ina Coolbrith was a very fascinating person, living at a time and knowing and working with so many people (eg. Mark Twain, Joaquin Miller, Jack London, even a mention of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The world was a lot smaller back then.
I'm impressed by how much we know of her life, especially with the 1906 fire taking out her manuscripts. Also the interweaving of the occasional mention of Mormonism was well-done.
If you like libraries and California and poetry, this is a good book. Many stars.
I'm impressed by how much we know of her life, especially with the 1906 fire taking out her manuscripts. Also the interweaving of the occasional mention of Mormonism was well-done.
If you like libraries and California and poetry, this is a good book. Many stars.
March 10, 2020
Aleta George does a wonderful job of portraying Ina’s essence (as if I knew her—I feel like I do). I fell in love with Ina Coolbrith—not necessarily with her poetry, but with her realness. Her constant conflict of wanting to write more yet having too much else to do is the perpetual dilemma of the creator. I feel this every day. And still, she accomplished many feats. I’m inspired to go climb the mountain named after her in Sierra County.
October 28, 2018
A stunningly empathetic portrait of a complex character. I felt I knew Ina Coolbrith well by the end of this book. This well-written biography should be of anyone interested in the Bohemian Art movement, artists in Nineteenth Century America, and the story of a woman who set out to achieve fame and independence in a world entirely dominated by men.
April 12, 2022
I'd never heard of Ina Coolbrith. Then I grabbed this at a local bookstore for something to read. Changed my life. What a chick!
May 30, 2023
A biography of the first rate. Essential California literary history. Written in such a deft manner that I kept turning to it until it was all done. Buy a copy!
February 9, 2016
Thank you, Aleta, for this fascinating book about Oakland's first librarian and California's first poet laureate and for the reminder of how much women have always fought for equality. Ina had to fight tooth and nail for every opportunity. She was hampered by her Mormon upbringing, her abusive husband and her needy family. She befriended and influenced every well-known author of her time, the entire hierarchy of famous California authors including Bret Harte, Mark Twain, Joaquin Miller and Charles Stoddard. She was such an influential but hardly recognized part of our history.
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May 17, 2018I had never heard of her until a bookclub I belong to chose this book. She was a very interesting person and achieved things that women generally did not achieve in her era. The author did the best she could with somewhat limited resources as many of Coolbrith's letters and manuscripts had been destroyed. Also some of her poems were published anonymously. I found her life somewhat sad. She had many great friends but she was many times under great financial stress and seemed to be supporting a number of lazy useless people. I am not fond of poetry so I am not judge of the samples that were published in the book.
July 25, 2018
Drawing from a voluminous amount of material, author Aleta George, describes Ina Coolbrith's multifaceted life in wonderful detail. The author follows three story lines in telling Ina's story: her personal life, her writings, and briefly, a partial history of California, all which had a strong influence on Ina's life and body of work. I was surprised to learn about the number of other poets and writers Ina crossed paths with during her life, like Jack London, John Muir and Mark Twain, just to mention a few. I, like many in the general population, was not aware of who Ina Coolbrith was or her work, and read this book based on a friends' suggestion, and truly enjoyed it. I was happy to also learn that part of her legacy continues to be curated by the “Ina Coolbrith Circle” poetry group, which she started almost a century ago. A must read for anyone interested in historical non-fiction as well as great American authors.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews