This Business of Words

"Readers of Sexton's poetry have been waiting more than twenty years for a collection of essays like this."—Dawn M. Skorczewski, author of An Accident of Hope: The Therapy Tapes of Anne Sexton



"An important collection of new critical views. Draws from a range of critics, as well as poets, to assess why Sexton's work remains viable, forceful, and beloved."—Linda Wagner-Martin, author of A History of American Literature: 1950 to the Present

"Rejecting inherited knockoff versions of Anne, the contributors . . . remap the extraordinary constellation of her career. . . . Added bonus: poets join their academic colleagues in reassessing an important poet and performance artist."—American Literary History



"The reader sees the evolving artist and her efforts to promote her work and come to terms with her life. . . . This collection reveals Sexton as a unique artist and human being."—Choice



“Successfully throwing much-needed fresh light from new perspectives, This Business of Words opens a path for fuller appreciation as well as greater critical discernment of the poet’s work.”—Colorado Review



“Advance[s] Sexton scholarship through engagement with the materials in her archive and her significant influence on contemporary poets.”—American Literature: The Twentieth Century