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Rating: 
Summary: An intricate, sensitive and compelling portrait
Review: Lyle Leverich, a theatre artist himself, paints (with the participation of the late "Tom" himself) an intricate, sensitive and compelling portrait of the closest The United States has come to producing her own Shakespeare. Tennessee Williams' ability to place passionate and visual poetry into the mouths of the commoner and gentry alike makes his work, in my opinion the finest ever produced by an American playwright. The towering and beautiful fragile characters of his plays combined with his devotion to the utter magic the physical theatre provides, allowed America through Tennessee Williams to finally place itself rightly next to Ibsen, Strinberg, Chekov and The Bard himself. Of course "Tom" did not develop in a vacume and what Leverich provides here in this excellent biography wrapped in the guise of a psychological thriller worthy of so great an object, is a portrait of a man often crippled by acute sensitivity who saw the writing muse as a means for survival. Leverich manages to paint the man behind the myth, bring him down into a real space and time while also managing to lift him to the angels. This is one of the greatest biographies ever written about a theatre artist- of which Williams was a supreme being. I, and many others, eagerly await volume two.
Rating:
Summary: An intricate, sensitive and compelling portrait
Review: Lyle Leverich, a theatre artist himself, paints (with the participation of the late "Tom" himself) an intricate, sensitive and compelling portrait of the closest The United States has come to producing her own Shakespeare. Tennessee Williams' ability to place passionate and visual poetry into the mouths of the commoner and gentry alike makes his work, in my opinion the finest ever produced by an American playwright. The towering and beautiful fragile characters of his plays combined with his devotion to the utter magic the physical theatre provides, allowed America through Tennessee Williams to finally place itself rightly next to Ibsen, Strinberg, Chekov and The Bard himself. Of course "Tom" did not develop in a vacume and what Leverich provides here in this excellent biography wrapped in the guise of a psychological thriller worthy of so great an object, is a portrait of a man often crippled by acute sensitivity who saw the writing muse as a means for survival. Leverich manages to paint the man behind the myth, bring him down into a real space and time while also managing to lift him to the angels. This is one of the greatest biographies ever written about a theatre artist- of which Williams was a supreme being. I, and many others, eagerly await volume two.
Rating:
Summary: If you want to know Williams, this book is essential.
Review: Meticulously researched and sensitively written, this book is the definitive biography of Tennessee Williams, even though it only covers the period up to the beginning of his success. I haven't found any others that can rival its quality. The depth and detail are unsurpassed in Leverich's finely crafted portrait, revealing the many facets of one of America's greatest playwrights. As a "theater person," Leverich brings a special authority to his work, infusing it with expert analysis and theatrical history. A really great read!
Rating:
Summary: I Love This Book
Review: This is a wonderfully done book. I feel I've lived in "Tom's" shoes and appreciate who he was and the struggles he faced. It's a loving portrait that doesn't shy away from the honest details of the life of the young Tennessee. I hope the sequel that's to take us from the Glass Menangerie to the end of Tennessee's life comes out soon----I'll be waiting!!!
Rating:
Summary: A sensational biography about a senational writer!
Review: This is the first half of Lyle Leverich's literary biography. Leverich, who comes to letters from the theater, does a magnificent job at presenting a balanced picture of this most intriguing personality. Even leaving off at the raging success of THE GLASS MANAGERIE, Leverich has assured his place among literary biographers, and been granted prayers from many of us that he live long enough to accomplish the second half of the story.
Rating:
Summary: Well Written and Superbly Researched
Review: This was the most interesting and compelling biography I have ever read. I found that I was even reading the footnotes and bibliography!
The book begins with a delve into Tennessee Williams' genealogy (including a chart, which I referred to frequently while reading the book). The author goes on to describe Tennesee's formative years, home life, and young-adulthood. The book takes the reader up through Tennessee's overwhelming success with "The Glass Menagerie."
I found the book (and, therefore, Tennessee Williams) so interesting that I began researching Williams' works and also his favorite writers (Hart Crane, DH Lawrence). I call a biography a complete success that could have such an effect as it has on me.
I look forward to the next edition, though I wonder if it will ever be in print.
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