Three-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz: The Rebellion of Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton

Three-Martini Afternoons at the Ritz from Gail Crowther is a deeply researched and accessibly written "dual biography" of Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton. The quotation marks I used is because I thought of this as almost a mediated conversation between these poets and Crowther. The great part is that the conversation is not simply between the people but between their works as well.

Because I viewed this in the way I did I think I found Crowther's personal comments and "what ifs" less bothersome, they were simply part of the conversation. I would also guess that with the research she did, she felt like she was offering ideas and (too late) suggestions to them.

I have liked both Plath's and Sexton's poetry since the mid 70s or so when I was show more introduced to it. I have been particularly impressed with how each subsequent reading offers new insight to not just them but myself. Most works reward rereading but most of their work speaks to readers differently at different times in a reader's life. What appealed to me at 20 isn't what stood out at 40 and neither is what really struck me at 60. I was different, the world was different, and the works were the same but presented as different.

Maybe because of my WGS background but I really appreciated Crowther placing the difficulties (read prejudices, misogyny, etc) these women faced front and center in the story. The resistance and denigration they faced, even from so-called loved ones and supposedly compassionate poets, played as large a role in their frames of mind as did any chemical or psychological issues. I guess you can tell I am not even close to being a Hughes fan. In fact, I would have to bleep out most of my opinions if I were speaking publicly, that is how little I care for or respect who he was.

I would recommend this to readers of Plath and Sexton as well as those interested in literary history, especially where it intersects with sociological thought.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

I really loved the layout of this both as a dual biography and chapter themes. I had no idea that Plath and Sexton knew each other and kind of adore the fact that they’d go have drinks after their writing class in 1959. This does a good job of going over their lives in regards to their writings and, as stated in the book, not backwards starting with their deaths. There’s no fancy gloss but good coverage of all issues, although I think that Ted Hughes was the absolute ultimate douchebag, and I’m not backing down on that.

This book serves as a sad reminder of how little some things have changed in the years since Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton enjoyed drinks at the Ritz. You can read this book as a dual biography of the two poets, but it also details the way mental illness, motherhood, marriage, and suicide were regarded in the 1950s and 60s. The depictions of sexism made me angry and the limited understanding of mental illness (and the associated treatments) made me sad. By the end of this book, I was filled with a new admiration for these women, what they endured, and how they managed to create despite their circumstances. This book is very readable and highly recommended for anyone interested in either Plath or Sexton.

Though I have read the poetry of Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath both, I didn’t know of their ‘friendship’ or the striking similarities in their too-short lives. Fascinating that they met in Robert Lowell’s seminar at Boston University, that there was subtle competition between them and similar trajectories in their careers. The author does a great job of examining their lives and work in context of the time they lived and wrote - highlighting how ahead of their time they were. She handles their mental illness respectfully and examines contributing factors - mother issues and marriage issues among them. And key differences too in temperament and personality. Glad I got a deeper look at these two iconic poets.

This non-fiction book is a must read for those interested in the intersection of feminism and literature. A combination of biography and social commentary, Three-Martini Afternoons covers the lives of two renowned poets, Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, in a serious of straightforward chapters taking the reader on a parallel journey through their lives. While the book had a bit of an academic feel to it, I also found it very accessible, even to people who know nothing about either of these authors. Since both women struggled with mental illness, there are definitely some sad moments, as they were both so talented and yet, so troubled. Very well researched, respectful and fascinating reporting.

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 than that, the author doesn’t leave it to the reader to come to their own conclusions. Rather, she’ll point out, for example, that we haven’t moved far beyond a particular outdated notion. When you come to this realization on your own, however, the impact is much more powerful.