I Promise to be Good: The Letters of Arthur Rimbaud: 2 (Modern Library) (Modern Library Classics) - Softcover

Arthur Rimbaud; Wyatt Mason (Translator)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0812970152 ISBN 13: 9780812970159

Publisher: Modern Library Inc, 2004

Synopsis

One of the most written-about literary figures in the past decade, Arthur Rimbaud left few traces when he abandoned poetry at age twenty-one and disappeared into the African desert. Although the dozen biographies devoted to Rimbaud s life depend on one main source for information his own correspondence a complete edition of these remarkable letters has never been published in English. Until now. A moving document of decline, Rimbaud s letters begin with the enthusiastic artistic pronouncements of a fifteen-year-old genius, and end with the bitter what-ifs of a man whose life has slipped disastrously away. But whether soapboxing on the essence of art, or struggling under the yoke of self-imposed exile in the desert of his later years, Rimbaud was incapable of writing an uninteresting sentence. As translator and editor Wyatt Mason makes clear in his engaging Introduction, the letters reveal a Rimbaud very different from our expectations. Rimbaud presented by many biographers as a bohemian wild man is unveiled as diligent in his pursuit of his goals . . . wildly, soberly ambitious, in poetry, in everything. I Promise to Be Good: The Letters of Arthur Rimbaud is the second and final volume in Mason s authoritative presentation of Rimbaud s writings. Called by Edward Hirsch the definitive translation for our time, Mason s first volume, Rimbaud Complete (Modern Library, 2002), brought Rimbaud s poetry and prose into vivid focus. In I Promise to Be Good, Mason adds the missing epistolary pieces to our picture of Rimbaud. These letters, he writes, are proofs in all their variety of impudence and precocity, of tenderness and rage for the existence of Arthur Rimbaud. I Promise to Be Good allows English-language readers to see with new eyes one of the most extraordinary poets in history. Since 1917 The Modern Library prides itself as The modern Library of the world s Best Books . Featuring introductions by leading writers, stunning translations, scholarly endnotes and reading group guides. Production values emphasize superior quality and readability. Competitive prices, coupled with exciting cover design make these an ideal gift to be cherished by the avid reader.

About this title

About the Author

Wyatt Mason is a contributing editor of Harper s magazine, where his essays regularly appear. He also writes for The London Review of Books and The New Republic. The Modern Library has published his translations of the complete works of Arthur Rimbaud in two volumes. His translations of Dante s Vita Nuova and Montaigne s Essais are in progress.

From the Back Cover

One of the most written-about literary figures in the past decade, Arthur Rimbaud left few traces when he abandoned poetry at age twenty-one and disappeared into the African desert. Although the dozen biographies devoted to Rimbaud's life depend on one main source for information--his own correspondence--a complete edition of these remarkable letters has never been published in English. Until now.
A moving document of decline, Rimbaud's letters begin with the enthusiastic artistic pronouncements of a fifteen-year-old genius, and end with the bitter what-ifs of a man whose life has slipped disastrously away. But whether soapboxing on the essence of art, or struggling under the yoke of self-imposed exile in the desert of his later years, Rimbaud was incapable of writing an uninteresting sentence. As translator and editor Wyatt Mason makes clear in his engaging Introduction, the letters reveal a Rimbaud very different from our expectations. Rimbaud--presented by many biographers as a bohemian wild man--is unveiled as "diligent in his pursuit of his goals . . . wildly, soberly ambitious, in poetry, in everything."
"I Promise to Be Good: The Letters of Arthur Rimbaud is the second and final volume in Mason's authoritative presentation of Rimbaud's writings. Called by Edward Hirsch "the definitive translation for our time," Mason's first volume, "Rimbaud Complete (Modern Library, 2002), brought Rimbaud's poetry and prose into vivid focus. In "I Promise to Be Good, Mason adds the missing epistolary pieces to our picture of Rimbaud. "These letters," he writes, "are proofs in all their variety--of impudence and precocity, of tenderness and rage--for the existence of Arthur Rimbaud." "IPromise to Be Good allows English-language readers to see with new eyes one of the most extraordinary poets in history.

"From the Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

One of the most written-about literary figures in the past decade, Arthur Rimbaud left few traces when he abandoned poetry at age twenty-one and disappeared into the African desert. Although the dozen biographies devoted to Rimbaud s life depend on one main source for information his own correspondence a complete edition of these remarkable letters has never been published in English. Until now.

A moving document of decline, Rimbaud s letters begin with the enthusiastic artistic pronouncements of a fifteen-year-old genius, and end with the bitter what-ifs of a man whose life has slipped disastrously away. But whether soapboxing on the essence of art, or struggling under the yoke of self-imposed exile in the desert of his later years, Rimbaud was incapable of writing an uninteresting sentence. As translator and editor Wyatt Mason makes clear in his engaging Introduction, the letters reveal a Rimbaud very different from our expectations. Rimbaud presented by many biographers as a bohemian wild man is unveiled as diligent in his pursuit of his goals . . . wildly, soberly ambitious, in poetry, in everything.

I Promise to Be Good: The Letters of Arthur Rimbaud is the second and final volume in Mason s authoritative presentation of Rimbaud s writings. Called by Edward Hirsch the definitive translation for our time, Mason s first volume, Rimbaud Complete (Modern Library, 2002), brought Rimbaud s poetry and prose into vivid focus. In I Promise to Be Good, Mason adds the missing epistolary pieces to our picture of Rimbaud. These letters, he writes, are proofs in all their variety of impudence and precocity, of tenderness and rage for the existence of Arthur Rimbaud. I Promise to Be Good allows English-language readers to see with new eyes one of the most extraordinary poets in history.


From the Hardcover edition.

Edition details

• Publisher: Modern Library Inc
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0812970152
• ISBN 13: 9780812970159
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 416