Byron: The Flawed Angel

Rating:
Summary: Byron: Mad, bad, and fascinating to know...
Review: I enjoyed this book tremendously, although I can't say I was always in agreement with Grosskurth regarding her subject. She doesn't seem to like Byron much and sometimes her antipathy shines through--a direct contrast to her supposed detached approach to her subject matter. The book is well-written, although not necessarily easy to read. Because Grosskurth's is essentially a scholarly approach, her style tends to be a bit pretentious. She often uses unecessarily long words and run-on sentances to communicate simple ideas. Still, the book was a fascinating read and I'd recommend it to anyone with the slightest interest in Byron--but read Marchand's collection of Byron's letters as well. You'll get a more complete picture of Byron the man and not just a psychological profile.

Rating:
Summary: Mean-spirited biography
Review: This mean-spirited biography does nothing to help a reader gain insight into this remarkable English poet. The author leaves great gaps in her examination of Byron's life and what she does relate (i.e., about his illfated marriage) is biased and gives absolutely no sense of the personalities involved or a sense of regency England. Her reaction to Byron is hostile throughout (without being at the same time incisive), making me wonder why she decided to write about him in the first place. Give this one a pass and look for Leslie Marchand's biography which ranks among the finest or read Byron's complete correspondence which gives one a direct view into his personality.

Rating:
Summary: Byron: The Flawed Book
Review: This was one of the first books in a good while that I almost didn't finish. It is, without a doubt, one of the worst books I have read in a long time. The style of the writing is cramped, and hard to comprehend at times. I also found it hard to keep track of most of the people in the book. I do have some pity for her, it must be hard to write a biography of such a mean spirited man.