A biography of the remarkable woman whose bestselling Mythology has introduced millions of readers to the classical world
Edith Hamilton (1867-1963) didn't publish her first book until she was sixty-two. But over the next three decades, this former headmistress would become the twentieth century's most famous interpreter of the classical world. Today, Hamilton's Mythology (1942) remains the standard version of ancient tales and sells tens of thousands of copies a year. During the Cold War, her influence even extended to politics, as she argued that postwar America could learn from the fate of Athens after its victory in the Persian Wars. In American Classicist, Victoria Houseman tells the fascinating life story of a remarkable classicist whose ideas were shaped by-and aspired to shape-her times.
Hamilton studied Latin and Greek from an early age, earned a BA and MA at Bryn Mawr College, and ran a girls' prep school for twenty-six years. After retiring, she turned to writing and began a relationship with the pianist and stockbroker Doris Fielding Reid. The two women were partners for more than forty years and entertained journalists, diplomats, and politicians in their Washington, D.C., house. Hamilton traveled extensively around the world, formed friendships with Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound, and was made an honorary citizen of Athens. While Hamilton believed that the ancient Greeks represented the peak of world civilization, Houseman shows that this suffragist, pacifist, and anti-imperialist was far from an apologist for Western triumphalism.
An absorbing narrative of an eventful life, American Classicist reveals how Hamilton's Greek and Roman worlds held up a mirror to midcentury America even as she strived to convey a timeless beauty that continues to enthrall readers.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year" "Surprisingly juicy. . . . Superb."---Mary Norris, New Yorker "Makes for gripping reading."---Emily Wilson, The Nation "American Classicist is marked by both abundance and restraint. . . [Houseman] gives an expansive account of Hamilton's life and intellectual formation and shows how she sought in her work to shape public response to the traumatic political crises of the times. She also respects Hamilton's privacy. . . . In any case, whom Hamilton loved is far less important to posterity than what she wrote."---Meghan Cox Gurdon, Wall Street Journal "Comprehensive. . . . A long overdue life of the multifaceted, deeply learned writer and explorer of the past." * Kirkus Reviews * "Victoria Houseman unspools a life that was both remarkably long and remarkable, full stop. . . . Edith Hamilton's contribution is undeniable, and thanks to Houseman's biography, her importance as a classicist and woman of letters has been restored."---Amanda Kolson Hurley, American Scholar "Houseman recounts the life of noted scholar and author Edith Hamilton, whose 1942 book, Mythology, became the gold standard for studying Greek myths. . . . An extensive, meditative look at a vital American author."---Kristine Huntley, Booklist "Victoria Houseman excavates Hamilton's life and beliefs with meticulous and engaging care, leaving readers with as much admiration for Hamilton the woman as they have for her works, which to this day remain in print." * Air Mail * "An extensive biography of writer Edith Hamilton, whose Mythology and The Greek Way were standard texts that introduced the Classical world to generations of students. This book deeply explores many facets of Hamilton's long life."---Charles Green, Gay & Lesbian Review "Comprehensive and probing."---Terry Potter, Letterpress Project "American Classicist: The Life and Loves of Edith Hamilton will certainly revive interest in [Hamilton's] remarkable personal story. . . . Houseman builds a detailed and engaging portrait of Edith's remarkable life."---Helene P. Foley, Arion "A monumental biography of Edith Hamilton, America's best-known popular interpreter of ancient Greece, this volume does full justice to both her scholarly interests and political commitments." * Choice * "[American Classicist] is as extensive as it is magisterial."---John DeJak, Chronicles "Meticulously researched. . . . The wide-angle focus of this biography should make it-like the publications of Edith Hamilton herself-interesting and accessible a wide audience of readers."---Ryan G. Sellers, Classical Outlook
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Für Beruf und Forschung
Produkt-Hinweis
Illustrationen
Maße
Höhe: 236 mm
Breite: 152 mm
Dicke: 46 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-691-23618-6 (9780691236186)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
Victoria Houseman is a historian and associate professor in the Department of History and Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
