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Pain, Parties, Work
Pain, Parties, Work: Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953 | Elizabeth Winder
11 posts | 14 read | 13 to read
"I dreamed of New York, I am going there." On May 31, 1953, twenty-year-old Sylvia Plath arrived in New York City for a one-month stint at "the intellectual fashion magazine" Mademoiselle to be a guest editor for its prestigious annual college issue. Over the next twenty-six days, the bright, blond New England collegian lived at the Barbizon Hotel, attended Balanchine ballets, watched a game at Yankee Stadium, and danced at the West Side Tennis Club. She typed rejection letters to writers from The New Yorker and ate an entire bowl of caviar at an advertising luncheon. She stalked Dylan Thomas and fought off an aggressive diamond-wielding delegate from the United Nations. She took hot baths, had her hair done, and discovered her signature drink (vodka, no ice). Young, beautiful, and on the cusp of an advantageous career, she was supposed to be having the time of her life. Drawing on in-depth interviews with fellow guest editors whose memories infuse these pages, Elizabeth Winder reveals how these twenty-six days indelibly altered how Plath saw herself, her mother, her friendships, and her romantic relationships, and how this period shaped her emerging identity as a woman and as a writer. Pain, Parties, Workthe three words Plath used to describe that timeshows how Manhattan's alien atmosphere unleashed an anxiety that would stay with her for the rest of her all-too-short life. Thoughtful and illuminating, this captivating portrait invites us to see Sylvia Plath before The Bell Jar, before she became an icona young woman with everything to live for.
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ju.ca.no
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#weekendchat @CSeydel
✨ Not movie but show: American Gods - Gaiman
✨ The Vegetarian - Han Kang
✨ Dirk Bernemann
✨ not food but drink: Strawberry Daiquiri because it was Sylvia Plaths favourite according to tagged book. (And it now is my favourite, it‘s so yummy!!) 🍸

Cathythoughts 🍸🍸🍸must try one 😉 7y
ju.ca.no @Cathythoughts it‘s the perfect summer drink 😍🍸 7y
ephemeralwaltz They're so delicious!😋 7y
54 likes3 comments
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maximoffs
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Think I can turn pages with this? 😂

cobwebmoth Hope it heals fast! 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I hope you're ok!! 7y
Lcsmcat I hope you feel better soon! Until you can turn pages there's always audiobooks. 😀 7y
See All 27 Comments
maximoffs @cobwebmoth me too!! I need the money to work and this actually hurts. @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I got cut at work but I'll be okay! @Lcsmcat I LOVE audiobooks. I'm wondering if I can tap my screen still on my kindle 7y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Ok 😥 get better soon 😘 7y
megt Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery! At the very least, for it to stop being painful soon!!! 7y
PenguinInFlight Yowza! 😕Hoping you're on the mend, soon! ❤️ 7y
Cortg Oh no! Wishing you a speedy recovery! 7y
monkeygirlsmama Dislike 7y
Ruri_kaichou Yikes! Hoping for a speedy recovery! 7y
bookwrm526 Speedy recovery to you!! 7y
JoeStalksBeck Carpal tunnel from holding books?😉 7y
JoeStalksBeck Oh dang! I'm sorry! Hope you get better soon! 7y
maximoffs @JoeStalksBeck it's all good! Thank you :) 7y
Librarianaut Oh dear! I wish a speedy recovery for you! 7y
Graciouswarriorprincess Poor dear! Prayers for a speedy recovery! 7y
melbeautyandbooks I hope you heal quickly and feel better! 7y
Mimi28 Get well soon!! ❤️❤️ 7y
maich Get well soon💪💪 7y
quietjenn Ouch! Hope it feels better soon. 7y
LeeRHarry Hope you're on the mend soon! 7y
lanac 😢 oh no 7y
EllieDottie Feel better soon!! 7y
moranadatter Yikes! I hope you feel better soon! 7y
heylaurenmack Feel better!! Good vibes your way. 7y
CocoReads Feel better. Ebooks. 7y
69 likes27 comments
blurb
maximoffs

Hi lovely Littens. I am going to have to delay matching your pen pals as I fell at work tonight holding a glass and got two really deep cuts on my right wrist. I'm okay, got 10 stitches but it's hard to type or write right now

CouronneDhiver Good gracious! 🙁 Take your time... your health comes first 7y
Robothugs Oh my goodness! I hope you heal well. If you need anymore help just let me know. 💗 7y
Smrloomis Oh no, feel better soon! 😕 7y
See All 38 Comments
freyaheart Oh goodness. Feel better soon. 7y
Iamlisa22 Ouch! Get well soon 7y
monkeygirlsmama Oh my gosh, so sorry! ((Hugs)) 💐 7y
maximoffs @JacintaMCarter I got your letter today! Will write you back when I can write 😂 7y
maximoffs Thanks guys! I can't believe it happened I was like NO I HAVE MATCHES TO MAKE! 7y
JacintaMCarter @steverogers No worries. I hope you heal quickly! 7y
Avanders Oh no! Prayers for quick healing! 7y
PenguinInFlight Oh no! That sounds painful. 😔Big hugs, and wishing you a speedy recovery. ❤️❤️ 7y
CatLass007 @steverogers Here's praying for a speedy recovery! 7y
LiteraryinPA Oh no! I hope you feel better in no time! 7y
rockpools Ooch. Wishing you a speedy recovery - take it easy! 7y
Laalaleighh Oh no! Poor thing! That's awful. I hope it doesn't hurt too badly and it heals quickly! 7y
Nikki15 Sending lots of love ❤️ feel better soon 7y
Lcsmcat Oh dear! I hope it heals quickly and you feel better soon. 7y
ju.ca.no hope you feel better soon💚 7y
batsy Oh no, take care and I hope that heals well. Feel better soon. 7y
VivaciousVal Oh no glad your OK. Feel better soon. 7y
CocoReads Oh no! Feel better and get some rest. 7y
TheKidUpstairs I hope it heals up quickly for you! 7y
AmyG Omg. You get well first. The pen pals can wait. 7y
alisiakae Feel better soon! 7y
AmandaL Feel better! 7y
Mimi28 Take your time. You're awesome for even considering taking on such a responsibility. Get well soon!! ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
chapter_fifty2017 Ouch !! Take care 💓 7y
megt Oh no! Hope you're feeling better soon! 💕 7y
WarpedSweetness Oh dear that sounds painful. Get well soon! 7y
Emiller Ouch!!! Hope you feel better soon! 7y
InLibrisVeritas I hope it heals up quickly! 7y
DarcysMom Yikes! Take care of yourself. I hope you feel better Doon and heal quickly. 7y
tournevis Feel better soon! 💊 7y
Bookishgal71 Oh no! Feel better soon!! 7y
robinb Take good care of yourself. 🤕 7y
stacybmartin Sending lots of positive and healing thoughts your way - take it easy! 💜 7y
Nonaroo I hope you feel better soon! 💕💕 7y
Smangela Yikes! That sounds awful! Sending you healing vibes! 7y
63 likes1 stack add38 comments
blurb
emilyhaldi
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Last day of reading with this view 🙁 The anecdotal format of this book is making it hard for me to get into a good rhythm. However, I'm fascinated by Sylvia Plath so I'm sticking with it!

minkyb This is a new title for me. Just what I needed! 8y
cariashley 😍 beautiful! 8y
Lmstraubie Hope you are having a wonderful vacation! 🌞 8y
See All 8 Comments
emilyhaldi @minkyb It's very interesting but such a jumbled format! It's making it slower to read for me, but still enjoyable 😁 8y
emilyhaldi @Lmstraubie thanks so much! The vacation was amazing, and included a lot of good reading! 👍🏻 8y
MyNamesParadise Whoa where is that?!?!? 8y
Reviewsbylola I'll be anxious to see your final verdict. Missing that view already. @MyNamesParadise it's Naples, FL 8y
TheBookStacker I really enjoyed this one. 8y
103 likes6 stack adds8 comments
review
HotCocoaReads
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Pickpick

This book is a non-fiction account of Plath's summer interning as a guest editor with Mademoiselle. The author interviews many of the other guest editors and they talk about their time in New York and how The Bell Jar's "truth" affected them. A great companion read to show just how autobiographical The Bell Jar is!

15 likes3 stack adds
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HotCocoaReads
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I'm reading this nonfiction book about Sylvia Plath's summer interning at Mademoiselle, along with a reread of The Bell Jar. It's amazing how very autobiographical The Bell Jar really is. #thebelljar #sylviaplath

Kimzey Beautiful teacup! What pattern is it? 8y
HotCocoaReads I found it at an antique mall last weekend @Kimzey The bottom of the cup says "the royal collection" Windsor castle 8y
lynneamch Love the teacup! Check out Your Own, Sylvia by Stephanie Hemphill. I really enjoyed the audio on Overdrive. 8y
HotCocoaReads Will do @lynneamch -- and thank you! 💕 8y
20 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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ju.ca.no
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About to finish this lovely book 😊 it's been a great read and I am looking foward to the last view pages very much😊

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AgentJennifer
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Pain, Parties, Work is full of thoughts, on New York, on Plath, on feminism, on love and friendship...

review
LyndseyReads
Pickpick

Lovely and insightful. I would love to see more author bios like this: beautifully made and focused on an important time in the author's life that contextualizes their work. The focus on a small, but essential part of Plath's life allowed me to scratch the biographical itch without committing to an overwhelmingly large biography.

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LyndseyReads
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I HATE when boyfriends argue with me about Dylan Thomas while I'm touring the Vatican. Dude, I'm trying to admire the Sistine Chapel.

Megabooks 😂😂😂 8y
17 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LyndseyReads
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When the weather cooperates, I'm a front porch reader. Nothing better than a breeze, a porch swing, and a book.

22 likes5 comments