"Rough Magic" by Paul Alexander is a pure and objective account of the life of Sylvia Plath. I am thankful that she gave so much of herself to the world, and that you've shown us a great deal of that Self, that heady poet and that very brave woman Sylvia Plath. Many thanks for the years you must have put into bringing the book-and Sylvia-into existence. If not for this book, I would not have been touched by her life. I appreciated that she felt she had received a sign from William Butler Yeats, given his own meanderings into the supernatural. I found so many of the details revealed in this biography fascinating (for instance, Ted's interest in the occult and hypnosis) and Sylvia's desires for "signs" when she was lost in her life. Sylvia grew up in print-having published her first poem at eight then continuing to publish poems year by year, until (well, and after) her death. You did such a wonderful job of pinpointing the days on which Sylvia wrote certain poems, so that it was a pleasure to follow along and read those particular poems at the 'right time'. I read this book with a collection of Sylvia's poetry at hand, which made the read feel especially all-inclusive, and thorough.
You put her heart, mind, and poetry (and how she arrived at that poetry) first, chapter after chapter, so that the reader could feel so very close to Sylvia. Thank you, Paul Alexander, for a complete and compassionate view of the life of the poet, artist, mother, wife-and sunbather!-Sylvia Plath. It is one of the best biographies I have had the enormous pleasure and at times sadness in reading. I would strongly urge anyone who has even a modicum of interest in Sylvia Plath to beg, borrow, steal or even buy this book. The strength of this is the great number of personal stories from Aurelia's numerous talks with Alexander, and so many other close friends of the author which range over much of Syliva's lifetime. The description of her horrible ordeal in the chapter "Edge" should evoke sympathy and admiration for this highly talented woman who tried to cope against overwhelming odds of personal mental and physical sickness, harsh environment and separation from the man she loved. Since the author spent over five years interviewing over two hundred people who knew Plath and or Hughes as well as reading most if not all of the available archival documents concrned with his subject, it's small wonder that "Rough Magic" is such a great biography. The enormous amount of research by Alexander is highly impressive and clearly comes through in his amazing book. Paul Alexander's "Rough Magic"is an outstandingly sensitive account of Sylvia Plath's life.
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