American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 6 (1985) Winner
May Sarton
メイ・サートン
May Sarton
Aliases:
Eleanore Marie Sarton
Pen Names:
May Sarton（Pen name used for publication (birth name Eleanore Marie Sarton)）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1912-05-03 （Wondelgem (Ghent), Belgium）
- Died
- 1995-07-16 （York, Maine, United States） age 83
- Nationality
- Belgian, American
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Unitarian Universalism
- Residence History
- Wondelgem (Ghent), Belgium (birth) → Ipswich, England (early wartime move) → Boston, Massachusetts, United States → Cambridge, Massachusetts (education) → New York City (theatre apprenticeship) → Santa Fe, New Mexico (residence) → Nelson, New Hampshire (residence) → York, Maine (later life)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, poet, memoirist, playwright, essayist
- Active Years
- 1930-1995
- Influenced By
- Virginia Woolf, Elizabeth Bowen, Julian Huxley, Juliette Huxley
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Latin High School (Cambridge Rindge and Latin School) | — | — | — | 1920年代頃 | United States |
| Vassar College (won scholarship) | — | — | — | 奨学金取得後、演劇修行のため入学を留保 | United States |
Cambridge Latin High School (Cambridge Rindge and Latin School)
Period:
1920年代頃
Year of Graduation:
1929
Country:
United States
Graduated high school; continued writing poetry.
Vassar College (won scholarship)
Period:
奨学金取得後、演劇修行のため入学を留保
Country:
United States
Won scholarship but pursued theatre apprenticeship in New York; graduation uncertain.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Levinson Prize for Poetry | Coming Into Eighty | — | Unknown (poetry organization) | 受賞 |
| 1958 | Elected Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences | — | — | American Academy of Arts and Sciences | 選出 |
Levinson Prize for Poetry
1993
Work:
Coming Into Eighty
Organization:
Unknown (poetry organization)
Result:
受賞
Elected Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
1958
Organization:
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Result:
選出
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Journal of a Solitude
1973 memoir / journalOne of Sarton's most celebrated works; a journal dealing with solitude, the struggles of creativity, friendship, and the changing seasons. Often regarded by critics as among her best.
solitudecreative struggleseasonsnature
Plant Dreaming Deep
1968 memoir / nonfictionA memoir reflecting on her early years in Nelson, focusing on nature, gardening, solitude, and renewal.
naturegardeningisolationrenewal
Mrs. Stevens Hears the Mermaids Singing
1965 novelA novel addressing women's love and identity. While Sarton resisted being labeled solely a 'lesbian writer,' this work was notable for its candid portrayal of lesbian themes.
loveidentitywomen's experiencelesbianism
Bibliography
- Encounter in April (1937)
- Inner Landscape (1939)
- The Single Hound (1938)
- Plant Dreaming Deep (1968)
- Journal of a Solitude (1973)
- The House by the Sea (1977)
- Recovering (1980)
- At Seventy (1984)
- Endgame: A Journal of the Seventy-Ninth Year (1992)
- Encore: A Journal of the Eightieth Year (1993)
- Coming Into Eighty (1994)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- calm, cultured, and urbane styledirect, introspective journal form
- Recurring Motifs
- solitudeagingnature and seasonsflowerslove and relationshipsgratitude
Health
-
stroke1990（一時的に衰弱）Writing became difficult; she used a tape recorder to record and transcribe journals.
-
breast cancer晩年（1990年代）Died of breast cancer in 1995. The illness affected her later writing and life.
Legacy
Sarton is highly regarded for candid journals and memoirs exploring solitude, aging, and the struggles of creativity. Her work has been embraced in feminist and LGBT studies, and her papers are held in major libraries.
Museums
- May Sarton Collection (University of New England) Portland, Maine, United States
Academic Societies
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Fellow)
Archives
- New York Public Library (May Sarton Papers)
- University of New England - May Sarton Collection
- University of Chicago Special Collections - Guide to the May Sarton Collection
In Popular Culture
- Frequently taught in women's studies and English literature courses at universities.
- Often cited in studies of modern women writers and memoirs.
Quotes
-
The vision of life in my work is not limited to one segment of humanity...and has little to do with sexual proclivity.
Source: Journal of a Solitude (1973) (1973)
Trivia
- Birth name Eleanore Marie Sarton.
- Published 53 books in her lifetime (19 novels, 17 poetry books, 15 nonfiction, plus children's books and plays).
- Elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1958.
- Suffered a stroke in 1990 and used a tape recorder to dictate journals.
- Died of breast cancer in 1995 and is buried in Nelson, New Hampshire.