In May Sarton's debut novel, a mysterious and beloved Belgian poet finds new life when a young Englishman ventures to meet herPublished under the pseudonym Jeanne Latour, Doro's poetry inspired a generation. Her teaching of great literature and philosophy also fired up the imaginations of her young pupils. Throughout her adult life, Doro's most important relationships have been those with Claire and Annette, fellow teachers who have nicknamed themselves the Little O...

In the hallowed halls of one of New England's most prestigious colleges, a young woman finds new and unexpected life as professor while a scandal brews just on the peripheryOn the train north from New York City, Lucy Winter takes inventory of her life. Twenty-seven and newly single, Lucy is headed toward a fate she never anticipated: professorship at a women's college in New England. Her doctorate degree, obtained from Harvard, was more of a hobby than a professiona...

This captivating book by May Sarton rejoices in friendship and familyIn A World of Light, renowned poet and novelist May Sarton renders unforgettable portraits of the friends she considers family—and the family she looks upon as friends. From her father, famed science historian George Sarton, she learns that work is "of the first importance." Her mother, Mabel, an artist in her own right, is her "dearest friend." Sarton also introduces us to fellow creative...

A professor's suicide is the catalyst for this novel about politics and ideals set at Harvard during the 1950sWhen Harvard professor Edward Cavan commits suicide by throwing himself under a subway train, his death sets off shock waves both across campus and in the hearts of his loved ones. To Edward's estranged sister, Isabel, her brother represented the dangers she sought to escape through the security of marriage. His student George Hastings saw in Edward the fath...

The bestselling feminist author's "lyrical, candid, sensitive" account of her efforts to regain her health, art, and sense of self after a stroke ( Publishers Weekly).Feeling cut off and isolated—from herself most of all—after suffering a stroke at age 73, May Sarton began a journal that helped her along the road to recovery. She wrote every day without fail, even if illness sometimes prevented her from penning more than a few lines.From her sprawli...

Winner of the American Book Award: May Sarton's honest and engrossing journal of her seventieth year, spent living and working on the Maine coast.May Sarton's journals are a captivating look at a rich artistic life. In this, her ode to aging, she savors the daily pleasures of tending to her garden, caring for her dogs, and entertaining guests at her beloved Maine home by the sea. Her reminiscences are raw, and her observations are infused with the poetic candor for ...

A splendidly edited anthology of the greatest poems of one of America's finest writersFrom the very beginning of May Sarton's career, in her fiction, memoir, and poetry, her work has been touched by a deep sense of order. The careful structure of her work provides an elegant backdrop against which her emotions are free to unfold, rising up through the cracks and fissures of her poems' architecture only to pass through and disappear like a summer thunderstorm. The au...

Three luminous novels from a New York Times–bestselling author and National Book Award finalist whose "prose leaves compelling echoes in one's mind" ( The New York Times Book Review).Throughout her long and acclaimed career, May Sarton refused to be categorized. As a memoirist, poet, and novelist, she broke new ground by openly exploring homosexuality, gender inequality, and other once taboo social issues. Gathered here in one volume are three of ...

Includes 10 illustrations by Barbara KnoxA delightful, whimsical tale—one of the most popular books for cat lovers ever written.May Sarton's fictionalized account of her cat Tom Jones's life and adventures prior to making the author's acquaintance begins with a fiercely independent, nameless street cat who follows the ten commandments of the Gentleman Cat—including "A Gentleman Cat allows no constraint of his person, not even loving constraint." But after several years of roa...

The New York Times–bestselling author of At Seventy returns with a memoir about advancing age, including her experience with a series of strokes.In this poignant and fearless account, Sarton chronicles the struggles of life at eighty-two. She juxtaposes the quotidian details of life—battling a leaky roof, sharing an afternoon nap with her cat, the joy of buying a new mattress—with lyrical musings about work, celebrity, devoted friends, and the limi...

"A testament to the joys of nature from a courageous and loving woman . . . her cats, birds, garden and visitors keep her ecstatically anchored in life" ( Publishers Weekly)."I always imagined a journal that would take me through my seventy-ninth year," May Sarton writes, "the doors opening out from old age to unknown efforts and surprises." Instead of musing calmly on the philosophical implications of aging, the writer found herself spending most of her en...

In this poignant novel by a New York Times–bestselling author, a dying woman looks back on the great relationships of her life.When she learns that she is dying, Laura Spelman vows to spend her final year only on what matters most. As she quickly realizes, this means coming to terms with her most fruitful and important bonds—her "real connections"—all of which have been with women. From her tempestuous daughter and beloved aunt, to a promising lesbian write...