'Strikingly accomplished . . . utterly compelling.' SUNDAY TIMES
'A masterpiece of biography.' TELEGRAPH
'A total joy to read.' SARAH BAKEWELL
'I feel like I've been waiting for this book my whole life.' SHEILA HETI
From the celebrated author of Square Haunting comes a biography as unconventional and surprising as the life it tells.
'Think of the Bible and Homer, think of Shakespeare and think of me,' wrote Gertrude Stein in 1936. Admirers called her a genius, sceptics a charlatan: she remains one of the most confounding - and contested - writers of the twentieth century.
In this literary detective story, Francesca Wade delves into the creation of the Stein myth. We see her posing for Picasso's portrait; at the centre of Bohemian Parisian life hosting the likes of Matisse and Hemingway; racing through the French countryside with her enigmatic companion Alice B. Toklas; dazzling American crowds on her sell-out tour for her sensational Autobiography - a veritable celebrity.
Yet Stein hoped to be remembered not for her personality but for her work. From her deathbed, she charged her partner with securing her place in literary history. How would her legend shift once it was Toklas's turn to tell the stories - especially when uncomfortable aspects of their past emerged from the archive? Using astonishing never-before-seen material, Wade uncovers the origins of Stein's radical writing, and reveals new depths to the storied relationship which made it possible.
This is Gertrude Stein as she was when nobody was watching: captivating, complex and human.
Write a Review
Gertrude Stein 9780571369317 Hardback
-
Gertrude Stein: An Afterlife by Francesca Wade
This is the best biography I have ever read. The people and events in Stein’s life are linked to her work with precision and authority. Wade is a true research artist. She understands Stein inside and out. It was exciting to read this. I needed to send to England for it as it is not due in America t…
This is the best biography I have ever read. The people and events in Stein’s life are linked to her work with precision and authority. Wade is a true research artist. She understands Stein inside and out. It was exciting to read this. I needed to send to England for it as it is not due in America till October. I have two bookshelves filled with Gertrude Stein books and notes, and I am so impressed with the way this book was organized: her life and her influences. I liked the fact that Wade included both Ulla Dydo and Leon Katz’s scholarship, and was pleased that she had set the record straight about Stein’s survival during WWII. So grateful for this. It is a lovely testament to Stein and her work.
- Authors:
- Wade, Francesca
- Year Published:
- 2025
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Format:
- Hardback
- ISBN:
- 9780571369317
- Number of Pages:
- 480
- Publication Date:
- 22/05/2025
- Publisher:
- Faber & Faber
- Language:
- English
- Place of Publication:
- London
- SKU:
- 9780571369317