A review by jerihurd
A Loaded Gun: Emily Dickinson for the 21st Century by Jerome Charyn

2.0

Well that was disappointing. Pure speculation, much based on conflating her biography with her poetry, which is reductionist at best. The one big "find" that supposedly shoots down past biographies is a phantom photo of Dickinson and Kate, the ostensible love of her life. A photo rumored to exist, but not replicated in the book. I find it hard to believe anyone in the book's intended audience still gives credence to the virginal recluse myth--you can't read her poetry and still find her so passionless and isolated--so basically there's nothing new or substantial here except one person's musings.

UPDATE: I stand corrected on the photo. Not sure how I missed that! Still, having looked at it, I think my point is even more valid: the author makes one photo carry a very heavy load in his analysis.