Elizabeth Bishop: Nova Scotia's "Home-made Poet"

2011 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of American poet

Elizabeth Bishop (1911–1979).

Author Sandra Barry takes readers through the highlights and turning points in Bishop’s life, from her formative years in Great Village, Nova Scotia, Canada, 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 endeavors of the Elizabeth Bishop Society and the community of Great Village, Nova Scotia. 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.

Elizabeth Bishop was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on February 8, 1911. Since her death in 1979, Bishop’s stature as one of the major American poets of the twentieth century has solidified. Interest in her life and work spans the globe. She received many awards and prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and the National Book Award.