Elizabeth Bishop: Nova Scotia’s “Home-made” Poet,
by Sandra Barry

Author Sandra Barry reveals the highlights and turning points in Elizabeth Bishop’s life in this fascinating introduction to one of the best-loved poets of the twentieth century.

“Best known as an American poet, Bishop (1911-1979) in fact called herself “3/4ths Canadian” and in Nova Scotia there has been a growing movement to reconnect public perception of the poet with the landscape of her childhood.

Author Sandra Barry takes readers through the highlights and turning points in Bishop’s life, from her formative years in Great Village, Nova Scotia, to her first publications, her travels abroad, and her years in Brazil, before concluding with an overview of some of the Bishop-inspired work other writers and artists have made since her death, and the commemorative endeavours of the Elizabeth Bishop Society and the community of Great Village.

Along the way, Barry discusses Bishop’s poetic style and wide- ranging appeal, examining some of her most famous poems. With photos throughout, and sidebar features on Bishop’s publications, profiles of some of her friends and mentors, and background on her awards and other achievements, the book provides a fascinating introduction to one of the best-loved poets of the twentieth century and her connection to Nova Scotia.” – Publisher

Sandra Barry is a poet, independent scholar and freelance editor. She is co-founder and past president of the Elizabeth Bishop Society of Nova Scotia, author of Elizabeth Bishop: An Archival Guide to Her Life in Nova Scotia and co-editor of Divisions of the Heart: Elizabeth Bishop and the Art of Memory and Place.

Source: http://www.thereader.ca/2008/05/book-launch-elizabeth-bishop-nova.html