Look Homeward: A Life of Thomas Wolfe

Tremendous insight on Wolfe's life and work is provided in this biography. It delves deep into the various aspects of his existence, exploring his personal experiences, the events that shaped him, and the evolution of his work. The author has done an excellent job of painting a vivid picture of Wolfe, making him come alive on the pages.

When Wolfe dies in the book, it has a profound impact. It feels as if someone I knew personally has passed away. This emotional connection that the biography creates is truly remarkable. It shows the power of a well-written biography to make the reader feel invested in the life of the subject.

To me, this is a great biography. It not only provides a wealth of information about Wolfe but also manages to evoke strong emotions. It makes me want to learn more about him and his work. It is a testament to the author's skill and dedication in bringing Wolfe's story to life.

Amazing!

Here, you will find a plethora of information that will surely astound you. It's like opening a treasure chest filled with knowledge and insights.

Not only that, but you also get a fascinating glimpse into the author. Their thoughts, experiences, and perspectives are laid out before you, allowing you to truly understand them on a deeper level.

It's truly a slice of life, presented in a way that is both engaging and captivating. You'll be drawn in from the very beginning and won't be able to put it down until you've explored every nook and cranny.

So, sit back, relax, and prepare to embark on a journey of discovery as you delve into this amazing piece of work.

David Donald presents an unvarnished, yet sympathetic, portrait of Thomas Wolfe.

Reading this biography has been a revealing experience for me. It has not only helped me to understand Wolfe better but also to fathom the wide-ranging criticism and acclaim that he has received.

After perusing the book, my initial opinion of Wolfe has declined. However, I now possess a more complete picture of him, his era, and his position among the early 20th century novelists.

There is, however, one small complaint. The book has a peculiarly abrupt ending. Wolfe dies in the penultimate sentence, and he is buried in the last sentence. There is no mention of the funeral, the reactions or eulogies from his family, friends, or colleagues, nor any details about what became of his manuscripts.

To be fair, the book does include a helpful "postscript" chapter on his posthumous novels and generally how they were put together. Nevertheless, I would have relished seeing more detail about the making of his 3rd and 4th novels.

This biography is widely regarded as the best work on Thomas Wolfe, and there is no doubt that it truly is.

I have recently completed reading all of Wolfe's major novels, and the information presented in the introductions is sourced from Donald's book.

His in-depth research into Wolfe's life mirrors Wolfe's autobiography as vividly as he portrays it in his novels.

Not only that, but through this biography, we gain a wealth of knowledge about Wolfe's later years and the relationships that developed after the events described in his novels.

It provides a comprehensive and detailed account of Wolfe's life, filling in the gaps and offering a more complete understanding of this remarkable author.

Overall, this biography is an essential read for anyone interested in Thomas Wolfe and his works.

When I recently delved into Thomas Wolfe's book “Look Homeward, Angel” once again, I recalled sharing with you that at the age of twenty-five, he was like a shining star in my young adult existence. He embodied all the aspirations I had, though I wasn't entirely certain what those were. His words expressed the intensity of my own feelings. I romanticized and idealized him. I envisioned his life as a tragic journey filled with powerful emotions and angst, yet leaving behind a beautiful legacy through his writing.

Recently, I read “Look Homeward - A Life of Thomas Wolfe” and discovered that the reality was vastly different.

Thomas Wolfe was not someone I would have desired to know intimately. Firstly, his appearance was rather unappealing. He was a large, tall, and bulky man, often显得笨拙. In his later years, pictures showed that he had a tendency to gain weight. His height was such that he often had to stand to write, using the top of the refrigerator as his writing surface. Normal chairs were too cramped for him. Usually, personality can overshadow physical appearance, but Wolfe was also careless in his dress. He left his clothes in piles around his apartment and would simply put on whatever was closest. Moreover, he often neglected to bathe, which was noticed even by those around him when he was a popular figure on campus in college.

Despite all this, he had numerous women in his life, both short-term and long-term. He had a larger-than-life personality that many women found attractive. However, he was careless in his sex life and inconsiderate of his partners. Many of his relationships were tumultuous, marked by frequent and bitter arguments. Nevertheless, this did not deter women from being drawn to him.

He never seemed to mature. His family funded his education through graduate school, and his mother provided him with financial support for most of his early life. But he was irresponsible with money. When he finally began earning royalties from his early books, his publisher did not give him the full amount at once. His publishing house, Charles Scribner and Sons, kept his royalties in a bank account, which he could only withdraw as needed for living expenses. His editor, Maxwell Perkins, served as a father figure to him in his early writing years.

He was acquainted with most of the major authors of his time, including F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Some he liked and got along with, while others he did not. Wolfe was sometimes jealous and could not tolerate criticism.

His antisemitism was evident, despite the fact that the most significant and longest romantic relationship in his youth was with a married Jewish set designer who was twenty years his senior.

He was a heavy drinker. Perhaps it was the intense emotions stirred up by his writing that drove him to alcohol. But he could also be what is known as a “mean drunk.” He would arrive late at parties, dominate the conversation, and pick fights with those who displeased him. One notable incident he described in his writing was a visit to Munich, Germany, in 1928. At Oktoberfest, he became extremely drunk on strong German beer, turned belligerent, and got into a brawl. He had to be treated at a hospital, but this incident became素材 for his novels.

Wolfe's books were highly autobiographical, which was both a blessing and a curse. “Look Homeward, Angel” was blatantly autobiographical, with most of the characters easily recognizable as members of his family and people from his hometown. He struggled to avoid being labeled as a strictly autobiographical novelist, but his writing constantly returned to himself as the protagonist.

He was from the South. Although he sometimes appeared as a country bumpkin, he was actually extremely well-educated. He attended Harvard for postgraduate studies and had “the best formal education of any American novelist of his day.” He excelled academically. He was influenced by great and non-traditional authors such as Proust and James Joyce. He peppered his writing with classical references. In one long section of “Look Homeward, Angel,” he included unattributed quotes from various works of classical literature after each paragraph, and it all worked effectively.

His works in progress were a jumble. He would write sketches, paragraphs, or longer pieces and toss the handwritten pages into a large crate in the middle of his living room floor. Often, his editors or agents had to assist him in sorting through them. One of his agents, Elizabeth Nowell, would go through these pages to assemble short stories that he could then sell. After Wolfe's death, his editor was able to sift through the crate and compile and publish two long and successful posthumous books.

Some argue that it was Wolfe's editors, Maxwell Perkins and Edward Aswell, who made him a successful author. But one cannot deny the vivid beauty of the passages and scenes that Wolfe created.

In conclusion, Thomas Wolfe was a mad genius. But mad geniuses are not meant for this world. I have written about Wolfe's untimely death at the age of 38 from a brain infection. It was tragic, indeed. But I think it was the tragic manner in which his life ended that contributed to making him such a romantic figure in my mind. Dying can enhance a person's reputation. When I was twenty-five, I needed him to be a tragic hero. But at seventy-plus, I have learned that such a thing does not truly exist. Perhaps this is one of the most difficult aspects of growing up.

Some editors are easy going with syntax as they edit manuscripts, while others are heavy-handed.

When Wolfe died at the age of 37, he left a mini-mountain of disorganized handwritten and typed pages. Editors had to endeavor to organize these into publishable works. Necessary heavy-handedness was required in some cases, and many of the novelist’s stylistic wordings were overly trimmed.

Wolfe, in many ways, never outgrew adolescence and led a rather jumbled life. It’s doubtful that even during his lifetime, his typescripts could have led to publication without strong editorial supervision. Moreover, he was a heavy drinker and at times a bedroom playboy. His largely autobiographical novels and short stories featured candid descriptions, to such an extent that libel suits were threatened and a couple were even brought to court.

This shows the complex relationship between writers and editors, as well as the challenges faced in bringing a writer’s work to the public eye.

This was a long one,

but I finished it rather quickly due in large part to its read-i-ness.

Wolfe was certainly an oddball.

It's easy to see why Donald, best known as a Lincoln biographer, was interested in writing his bio.

Wolfe saved every piece of paper he applied a pen to, so there's plenty of documentation for his rather short life.

Also, his life is a kind of fever dream full of emotional turmoil and contentious personal relationships.

I imagine a less tasteful biographer could spin quite a juicy tale about Wolfe.

Anyway, it was a fine read indeed.

The story of Wolfe's life is a fascinating one.

His oddball nature and the abundance of documentation make it a rich subject for a biography.

Donald's interest in writing about him is understandable, given his reputation as a biographer.

The emotional turmoil and contentious relationships in Wolfe's life add another layer of complexity and intrigue.

It's no wonder that a less tasteful biographer might be tempted to sensationalize the story.

However, this book presents a more balanced and engaging account of Wolfe's life.

It's a must-read for anyone interested in the life of this unique individual.

This biography serves as the benchmark against which all subsequent works on Thomas Wolfe should be evaluated.

It offers a comprehensive and meticulously documented portrayal of Wolfe's life, his travels, his obsessions, and his fears. Additionally, it presents a critical examination of the process by which his work was published.

In numerous aspects, Donald's biography is as monumental in its scope and length as Wolfe's novels themselves. I firmly believe that it will enable readers to gain an understanding of how Wolfe's works can have a diverse impact on them at various stages of their lives.

If I were to note my personal experience with Wolfe, I would say that his novels initially intimidate you during your teens and twenties. They then capture your attention in your thirties, only to stray from you in your forties and become alienated in your fifties. However, by your sixties, you may find yourself wistfully yearning for them.

If I manage to reach my seventies, I have no doubt that my perception of his works will change yet again.