American Isis: The Life and Art of Sylvia Plath

American Isis: The Life and Art of Sylvia Plath

by Rollyson, Carl

4.2 (84)

4.2 stars from 84 reviews

336 pages~5.6 hr readPublished by St. Martin's Press

$14.9938% off peak

Last checked: Apr 21, 2026

Hidden GemHighly rated but flying under the radar. Fewer readers have found this one yet.
Price history: $0.50 $23.99

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Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Claire Tomalin
  • Jennifer Homans
  • Paula Hawkins

Fans of these books will like this...

  • The Secret Life of Dorothy Soames
  • The Letters of Sylvia Plath
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Perfect for you if...

  • You're fascinated by Sylvia Plath's work and want to separate the biographical facts from fifty years of speculation and myth-making.
  • You read literary biography to understand how writers actually lived and created, not for gossip.
  • You appreciate rigorous scholarship that challenges popular narratives about complex historical figures.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You're looking for a psychological analysis of Plath's depression or suicide; this book is biographical and literary, not clinical.
  • You want a novelised, dramatised version of her life; Rollyson writes as a scholar, not a storyteller.
  • You prefer quick reads; at 336 pages with scholarly depth, this demands real engagement.

About this book

Published on the fiftieth anniversary of Sylvia Plath's death, this biography draws from the recently-opened Ted Hughes archive at the British Library, including forty-one letters between Plath and Hughes and unpublished papers. Plath's life has become legendary. Educated at Smith College, she had a deeply conflicted relationship with her mother, Aurelia, and married poet Ted Hughes, entering the intense literary world of English and American letters. Her poems were disputed, rejected, and ultimately widely read. She died at thirty by suicide. Her poetry collection Ariel became a modern classic, and her novel The Bell Jar remains a standard on student reading lists. This biography presents Plath not as overshadowed by Hughes, but as a powerful literary force who drew from both high and low culture to establish her place in literature.

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Free$11.99$23.99Oct '25Dec '25Mar '26Apr '26
$0.50$23.99

Currently on sale at $14.99 — 38% off peak. Price has dropped 6 times over the last 6 months. Goes on sale roughly every 31 days. Typically stays discounted for 11 days.

Sales Rank

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#124,169#1,325,687#2,527,205May '18Nov '23Mar '25Apr '26

Currently around #777K in the Kindle store — a niche title. Climbing the charts — 55% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

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3.5★4.3★5.0★Nov '25Feb '26Mar '26RatingReviews

Currently 4.2★ from 84 reviews

Review activity has been quiet recently. Rating has remained stable at 4.2 over the tracking period.

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Free$11.99$23.99Oct '25Dec '25Mar '26Apr '26PredictedApr '26

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This book is currently discounted at $14.99. It typically returns to around $23.99.

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Rollyson, Carl

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