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rdyourbookcase's review against another edition
3.0
Authors led such interesting lives! And their love lives, holy smokes. This book made me want to make sure that nothing I have ever written is left behind for others to scrutinize. The description is right - sometimes real life is more interesting than fiction.
raven_morgan's review against another edition
4.0
A fast read focusing on the private lives and scandals surrounding many famous literary figures.
One wonders, reading this, just how much is based in absolute truth - perhaps because, at times, it reads very much like a tabloid - but even if there is a degree of exaggeration involved, it is still a fascinating read. And leads the the conclusion that writers and literary figures are a pretty broken bunch when it comes to romance and relationships.
One wonders, reading this, just how much is based in absolute truth - perhaps because, at times, it reads very much like a tabloid - but even if there is a degree of exaggeration involved, it is still a fascinating read. And leads the the conclusion that writers and literary figures are a pretty broken bunch when it comes to romance and relationships.
namucat's review against another edition
4.0
If Charles Dickens, Anaïs Nin, and the other writers we feature hadn't been two-timers, bigamists, risk takers, and unabashed romantics - resulting in love lives that make for great reading - Writers Between the Covers wouldn't exist.
True to their word, Rendon and Schmidt really do present the reader with a motley group of rascals, cads, lovesick puppies and romantics. A very amusing light read, I was definitely surprised with some of the things I learned about some of my favourite writers and shocked with all the twists and turns of their lives, that often seems more like fiction than fact (something that many were quick to remedy, taking that inspiration to fuel the birth of countless landmarks of literature).
I specially loved the fact that the few examples of simple success in love and matrimony, without too many complications or fusses, were saved for the final chapter, to serve a bit as a sweet dessert after all the highs and lows of infidelity, lust, broken hearts and many, many written frustrations, that make up this tome.
I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in literature and it's sordid backdrop!
Read this book thanks to the guys at NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Plume. Cheers!
True to their word, Rendon and Schmidt really do present the reader with a motley group of rascals, cads, lovesick puppies and romantics. A very amusing light read, I was definitely surprised with some of the things I learned about some of my favourite writers and shocked with all the twists and turns of their lives, that often seems more like fiction than fact (something that many were quick to remedy, taking that inspiration to fuel the birth of countless landmarks of literature).
I specially loved the fact that the few examples of simple success in love and matrimony, without too many complications or fusses, were saved for the final chapter, to serve a bit as a sweet dessert after all the highs and lows of infidelity, lust, broken hearts and many, many written frustrations, that make up this tome.
I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in literature and it's sordid backdrop!
Read this book thanks to the guys at NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Plume. Cheers!
robinsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
This is chock-full of fascinating details about the love lives and scandalous affairs of famous authors. I had no idea! Anyone familiar with the lives of our classic authors (Mailer, Nin, Keroauc, Ian Fleming, and many more) probably won't be surprised at their shenanigans but it's fascinating stuff for those of us who aren't as well-versed.
The authors have done a fabulous job of research and this will be a fun book to recommend to library patrons.
The authors have done a fabulous job of research and this will be a fun book to recommend to library patrons.
viktoriya's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting stuff, that's for sure. I wish there was information about contemporary writers (but I guess we will have to wait until they are dead to get all their "secrets"). This book did not reveal any "never-before-seen" facts, but it was still fun to read. I think this book is better read by chapters, and not from beginning to end.
marisabuller's review against another edition
3.0
In several chapters of the ebook, there are missing words/punctuation.
nonbinarian_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
What a fun book, like literary gossip columns with footnotes. Also Ernest Hemingway was a terrible human being.
joneal233's review against another edition
3.0
This a fun read for those of us who like genre of naughty historical people. The cliche of the troubled artist with the disastrous love life certainly holds true for the majority of writers in this book. There is certainly a lot of drama, but also some nice love stories. I am glad they chose to finish the book with the enduring love stories.
Interesting fact that I did not know: Lord Byron had an eating disorder. (Already knew about the whole sister-incest thing.) All and all a nice and readable historical survey for the non-hardcore historian types. Although those of us who thoroughly enjoy the esoteric academic historical books, can enjoy it too.
Interesting fact that I did not know: Lord Byron had an eating disorder. (Already knew about the whole sister-incest thing.) All and all a nice and readable historical survey for the non-hardcore historian types. Although those of us who thoroughly enjoy the esoteric academic historical books, can enjoy it too.