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Three-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz
Three-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz: The Rebellion of Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton | Gail Crowther
14 posts | 7 read | 1 reading | 9 to read
"A dual biography of poets, friends, and rivals Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton"--
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review
GidgetsTreasures75
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Pickpick

2-13-23: My 18th finished book of 2023! A look into the lives of Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, both female poets active in the 50s and 60s. Both suffered from mental illness and died by their own hand. This book travels through time to their upbringings, marriages and families, writing years and finally their deaths and shows the similarities and differences between these two talented writers. Very interesting and sad. I am a fan of both.

GidgetsTreasures75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📖#️⃣1️⃣8️⃣ 13mo
12 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Litsi
Mehso-so

This book about poets Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton was not well written & I don‘t care much for poetry. But my entry into it the examination of the struggle to be a woman & a poet in 1960/50 America. They could not be selfish artists because they had to be proper and mothers and cooks and hostesses. But the wild, absorptive heart of a poet wants what it wants. These two were no doubt mentally ill, but they were also talented & angry. A sad read.

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Maria514626
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Bailedbailed

Hour 1: Can‘t do this book. #arc #reversereadathon
The organization — one aspect of their lives in each chapter — hollows out their stories. The impact of societal expectations of women in the 1950s and 60s, their marriage roles, mental illness (not addressed until the end of the book), etc. all impact each other. Stripping away all but one context at a time made their stories one-dimensional.
More below. 👇👇👇

Maria514626 More than that, the author doesn‘t leave it to the reader to make connections — for example, the third highlight above. Without it, her point would be so much more powerful. July #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks (edited) 2y
14 likes1 comment
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Maria514626
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And it begins! #reversereadathon #deweys24hourreadathon

First — Decide if I‘m going to keep reading this #arc. It‘s bland and I don‘t care about Plath or Sexton. Which is bonkers since both of them have deep inner and outer lives.

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Maria514626
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So far this book reads more like a textbook than a dual biography. It also seems repetitive. (Maybe I‘m distracted.) I‘m starting to skim. #arc #bookspin

Leftcoastzen Disappointed to hear this , on my TBR! (edited) 2y
18 likes1 comment
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Maria514626
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I wish I could attach a recording of the thunder. 😌
Storms—a perfect backdrop for reading about Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton. 🌩⚡️
#bookspin

Chelsea.Poole Oh cozy! 2y
LiteraryinLawrence Beautiful reading weather! 2y
Maria514626 @Chelsea.Poole @LiteraryinLawrence I had my pup with me, too. ❤️ 2y
mabell Perfect! 2y
20 likes4 comments
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Maria514626
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Well I wish this month‘s #bookspin number would have been an easier read. This is an #arc so it is advantageous.

This is a tough read. Interesting and sad, especially with post-Roe eyes. (Plath and Sexton fought against imposed and strict gender roles. 😬)

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Maria514626
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Thanks to @LeslieO I now know how to make my own bingo card! #bookspinbingo
@TheAromaofBooks

LeslieO It‘s a Litsy pay it forward! I found out from Litten also! 2y
LeslieO And it looks great! 2y
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Looks fabulous!! 2y
Maria514626 @TheAromaofBooks Thank you! It was so fun to make. 2y
12 likes5 comments
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Maria514626
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Hooray! My first #bookspin this year. An #ARC I need and want to read (12), and a book that‘s been on my TBR for-e-ver (15, #doublespin).

@TheAromaofBooks 🥳🥳🥳

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! Good luck!!! 2y
14 likes1 comment
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TrishB
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Pickpick

It‘s not specifically about their drinking afternoons at the Ritz, that‘s just a narrative thread to pull it together.
It‘s a good synopsis of the rebellious (for the time) nature and thinking of Plath and Sexton. I enjoyed it, if you‘re a bit obsessed with either of them you will know a lot of the detail- but there are some good additional anecdotes and thoughts.
Thank you Paula 😘

squirrelbrain Sounds interesting! 2y
LeahBergen Ahh, was she the mystery sender? 🥰🥰 2y
TrishB @squirrelbrain it was 👍🏻 2y
TrishB @LeahBergen she declared herself 😁♥️ 2y
89 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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TrishB
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These have just arrived from BD 😁😁😁 thank you to whoever sent them! Apologies if I shouldn‘t have opened them.
I have not seen that Plath book before!!

BarbaraBB Exciting who will claim this gift! I always wonder why BD doesn't have the option to add a personal note. 2y
squirrelbrain The Plath book looks right up your street! 2y
TrishB @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain I‘m intrigued now! As Helen says the Plath book looks right up my street. 2y
See All 12 Comments
LeahBergen Mystery book mail! 👏🏻👏🏻 2y
TrishB @LeahBergen 12 hours in and still a mystery! 2y
Cathythoughts I see your mysterious books too 😁💫 2y
TrishB @Cathythoughts I think I may have guessed and will wait for her to appear first! 2y
Centique Ooh this is from me Trish! I saw the Plath book and thought of you and then added a mystery I‘d really enjoyed that you might like. 2y
Centique @Cathythoughts I was your mysterious book giver too! 😂😂 2y
TrishB @Centique I thought it was you Paula 😘 but I wasn‘t sure if you were sending directly from NZ. Thank you so much they both look fab! But I hadn‘t even seen that Plath book so I‘m really looking forward to it ♥️♥️♥️ 2y
Cathythoughts @Centique Aha !!! It‘s you Paula, the mystery is solved 😁 Thankyou so very much 😘 2y
Centique @TrishB fingers crossed that it‘s a good one! 🤞🤞 2y
96 likes1 stack add12 comments
review
Ephemera
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Pickpick

If you are a fan of Sylvia Plath or Anne Sexton, you may enjoy this book. The author deals with both women very frankly, warts and all. She compares their lives and work, their loves and fears, and their deaths with great scholarship and caring. These two American poets were instrumental in helping to break down the barriers around male-dominated poetry and should be celebrated as such. Five stars.

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Leftcoastzen
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Someone went to Barnes & Noble yesterday and got exactly what she wanted !

Ruthiella Excellent! 😃 3y
vivastory Nice! I also went shopping at B&N yesterday evening 😂📚 3y
Leftcoastzen @vivastory great minds think alike ! 😂good to be vaccinated & less freaked out .Though being cautious. 3y
See All 10 Comments
Reggie Yayyyy!!!! 3y
Mitch Wow - stepping back inside a bookstore..... I‘m so hoping I can do that with ease soon 🤞🏼 3y
youneverarrived I‘m intrigued by the tagged book! 3y
Leftcoastzen @youneverarrived I hope it‘s good , I read most books about Plath or Sexton . I have this one and haven‘t started it yet 3y
youneverarrived I look forward to seeing what you think of it. I read a biography of Sexton a few years back and it‘s remained a fave. I‘ll have to add that one to the tbr 👍 3y
Suet624 Good for you! More of that please. 3y
66 likes10 comments
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Branwen
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Book mail is the best mail! 📚💕 The tagged book is a nonfiction title about the friendship between Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton! 😍 They are favorite poets of mine, so I'm excited to dive in! The other two are new books in different series I have been enjoying! #bookmail #bookhaul #gaysinspace

Moonprismpower The Chambers book looks good. How‘s the first book? 3y
Branwen @Moonprismpower The first one is really good! Space hijinks and lots of diverse, fascinating characters! 3y
Suet624 Such different genres. 😂😂 3y
Branwen @Suet624 Right?! 😂🤣 3y
52 likes4 comments