Arbieroo reviewed E. E. Cummings by Catherine Reef
Review of 'E. E. Cummings' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
This book is aimed at the YA audience and I found it occassionally patronising in tone, but for the most part a pleasant read. It's quite heavily illustrated with photos and facsimilies and tries to explain not only the poet's life but how his work was experimental, innovative and challenging in terms of technique and sentiment (for its time).
I learned a lot, having previously known next to nothing about Cummings' life. He was a painter as well as a poet, heavily dependent financially on his parents for almost his whole life and only recognised for his genius quite late in life. He had a quite adventurous life, what with ending up interned in France during WWI and visiting Soviet Russia in the 1930s.
I can recommend this as an introduction to Cummings' life and work, but I still want to read a comprehensive biography aimed at adults.