May Sarton

At Seventy

May Sarton—poet, novelist, and chronicler—occupies a special place in American letters. This journal chronicles the year that began on May 3, 1982, her seventieth birthday. At her home in Maine, she savors "the experience of being alive in this beautiful place," reflecting on nature, friends, and work. "Why is it good to be old?" she was asked at one of her lectures. "Because," she said, "I am more myself than I have ever been."

"Sarton has fashioned her journals, 'sonatas' as she calls them, into a distinctive literary form: relaxed yet shapely, a silky weave of reflection, sensuous observation and record of her daily round, with the reader made companion to her inmost thoughts. . . . It's a book rich in warmth, perceptiveness and reassurance." —Publishers Weekly

"As ever, Sarton's journal entries provide a piquant immersion in the life of a graceful, astute writer and a gentle, vibrant woman. . . Sharing her responses to other authors is always enlightening, and her comments on her own poetry and fiction prove particularly edifying. Like Sarton's other journals . . . this gracious sharing of private moments, critical perceptions, and excitement over work-in-progress will find a deeply appreciative audience."—Booklist