A Different Person: A Memoir

by James Merrill

James Merrill--winner of the Pulitzer and National Book Award--is one of America's most celebrated poets. This acclaimed memoir--nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award--traces Merrill's painful yet often hilarious life as a young man. "Stands with Merrill's finest work."-- Los Angeles Times Book Review.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Poetry, Biography, LGBT, Gay

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

James Ingram Merrill was born on March 3, 1926, and died on February 6, 1995. From the mid-1950s on, he lived in Stonington, Connecticut, and for extended periods he also had houses in Athens and Key West. From The Black Swan (1946) through A Scattering of Salts (1995), he wrote twelve books of poems, ten of them published in trade editions, as well as The Changing Light at Sandover (1982). He also published two plays, The Immortal Husband (1956) and The Bait (1960); two novels, The Seraglio (1957, reissued in 1987) and The (Diblos) Notebook (1965, reissued 1994); a book of essays, interviews, and reviews, Recitative (1986); and a memoir, A Different Person (1993). Over the years, he was the winner of numerous awards for his poetry, including two National Book Awards, the Bollingen Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, and the first Bobbitt Prize from the Library of Congress. He was a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Reviews

[sezen]

I have always loved James Merrill, but if possible, this book made me love him even more.

[Neil Mudde · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never heard of James Merrill, but was intrigued by the title, not being a lover of poetry, I could not get around this Man/s writing at all.
It certainly is not a "coming out" book, or if it is it certainly is different
It would appear that Mr Merrill was born into privilege, and writes about his travels and lovers,and some of his family members, after having read several chapters, I came bored by it all and stopped reading it.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

the first few pages were dazzling -- the tone, mesmerizing. Scott has always seemed giddy about The Changing Light at Sandover -- which I have never read. I hope it's not one of those books where he worked really hard on the opening passages and scribbled the rest. Fingers crossed.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old favorite--just wanted to vouch for it here.

[Fredrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

(P4) “Following me out the subway, my shadow wavered past a shop I’d never found open. Its dark window dingily lettered in gold: LUST’S BAKERY.”

(P166) “The point […] isn’t that a given life be ‘happy’ or ‘sad’ but that you have the appetite to live it.”

(P??) Szondi Test: A 1935 personality test by Léopold Szondi. One of the most discredited psychological tests. Consists of showing photos of patients whose personality had been classified as homosexual, sadist, epileptic, hysteric, catatonic, paranoid, depressive & maniac. Subject chooses two most appealing & two most repulsive. Choices reveal subject’s satisfied & unsatisfied dimensions of personality.

(P86) The Marrying Mdivanis: Five kids of General Zakhari & Elizabeth Mdivani. They fled to Paris after the Soviet invasion of Georgia & all married into fame & wealth, which they skillfully depleted.

(P48) Chamfort’s Maxims (book)

(P8) kirtle: A gown or outer petticoat; a man's tunic or coat.

(P21) Evzones: Historical elite infantry of Greek Army. Known for distinctive uniform, including the fustanella (kilt).

(P25) caique: Brightly painted fishing boat. Of late, a short excursion vessel used to make money from tourists.

(P31) faience: Term for fine tin-glazed pottery.

(P37) doxy (dated, offensive): A lover or mistress; a prostitute.

(P100) marcelling: Hair style in which hot curling tongs induce a curl. A famous wearer: Josephine Baker.

(P168) fichu: A small triangular shawl, worn around a woman's shoulders & neck.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If your father ever knew about your life it would be the death of him. from A Different Person by James Merrill

In 1950, after the publication of his first book of poetry, the twenty-four-year-old James Merrill went to Europe. He planned to rendezvous with his lover, and had planned visits from his father and sister. The trip was meant to be life altering.

Merrill was the son of one of the founders of Merrill Lynch. In Europe, he could be more open about his relationships with men, past and present.

Abroad, Merrill failed at writing a novel. He saw his relationship deteriorate. He started seeing a psychoanalyst. He visited the sights, enjoyed operas and art.

The memoir is a view of youth from the vantagepoint of age, each chapter ending with notes and comments.

The writing is wonderful, from the first line. “Meaning to stay as long as possible, I sailed for Europe. It was March 1950. New York and most of the people I knew had begun to close in. Or to put it differently, I felt that I alone in this or that circle of friends could see no way into the next phase.[…] Was I ever coming back? Yes, yes, one of these days. But of course I would be a different person then.”

A classic coming of age story of a young gay man.

Thanks to Vintage for a free book.

[Douglas Forman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected a bit more from JM about his early development as a poet; instead this memoir of his time in Rome as a young man focuses on his various romantic relationships and his inability to be a mature partner. The memoir comes across a bit as a piece of self-analysis (fueled by his year of actual analysis by a Dr. Detre while he was in Rome.) Therefore we learn a lot about his relationships with his mother and father (who shows remarkable understanding of JM's homosexuality) and his affairs with Claude and Robert. Laudably, JM is not easy on the man he was at the time.

Still it was enjoyable to live vicariously through JM who, as a man of tremendous means, was able to spend a year in Rome and Greece steeping himself in high culture and conversing with some of the great literary names of the period.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was FUN. James Merrill, an honored poet and one of the children of the founder of Merrill Lynch, writes about all the time he spent in Europe after graduating from Amherst and his carnal experiences in Europe and back home in Connecticut, all in vague-ish terms but you get to read between the lines. I loved this glimpse into how the very rich live.

[James Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the 20th century's most intriguing American poets shares his candid and personal autobiography in this book. Together with Merrill's poetry, I really enjoyed reading this book. Anyone who wants to experience what it is like to be an artist who takes chances in all facets of his life should definitely read it, in my opinion.

[Bryna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirkily written and sometimes hard to follow, but generally a compelling, thoughtful and unique perspective on gay life, Europe and personal struggles in the 1950s. Merrill's story is inherently interesting, as the son of the creator of Merrill-Lynch and a privileged, brilliant poet. The book initially struck me as egotistical and pretentious, but won me over with Merrill's ultimate sense of compassion, objectivity and unwavering confidence about who he is and what he's about.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Merrill, the poet, was the son of one of the co-founders of Merrill Lynch, and as such lived a cosseted and privileged life. This tells of his youthful life in Europe in the early 1950s, and he has a poet's skill for rendering the sights and exotic people he encountered.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poet James Merrill's "young gay man from privileged background" memoir. Good descriptions of European touring and literary life in the 1950s.

[F Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Merrill's memoir of his formative two years in Europe as a young man n the early 1950s. Interesting and beautifully written.