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I love May Sarton! One day I thrift-ed a copy of "At Seventy, a Journal"- The title piqued my curiosity-what was in store for an aging woman-I had not yet reached forty, so seventy seemed a long way off. In reading several more of May Sarton's journals, I discovered that she was somewhat of an unsung poet; somewhat appreciated in academia, but not a "commercial success". Although in her lifetime May's work remained rather obscure, she endures rock-solid as the Maine coastline where she lived her last days. To her faithful readers, May provides a wealth of comfort. Her descriptions of small and daily adversity and triumph are memorial to all that is human:The refinement of the will and spirit even as the body is undergoing hardship and the brain is beginning to be challenged by daily life. In choosing this book, I am anticipating another "Good Read" by someone who has become one of my favorite authors-I find that after a long day, I look forward to "cozy" reading, albeit, biographical or historical. (I find that as I age, like May, I value the intensities of the daily grind, but need to hone those things that are genuinely me.) "After the Stroke" represents, to me, a compiling of what is natural to each of us-our work, our play, the illness, the adversity. How we choose to react is key. The book itself is in good condition. It's from a Hastings, Nebraska library collection, which I find poignant-May Sarton donated copies of her books whenever solicited and mailed to her many friends and fans. As she aged, it became more of a challenge for May to "get the work out", as she put it. Her speaking engagements and poetry readings also thinned. I wonder at the decision of the library to discard this book-there is value here for anyone needing comfort through an illness or adversity. But there is so much more! The picture on the front wrapper shows May in one of her relaxed modes, surrounded by the treasures which enriched her life-May's seaside home, her sunny window panes with views of her family of flowers and plants (she was rarely without a floral bouquet in each room and she delighted in arranging the blossoms that she speaks of with such adoration.); Important to her as well, and familiar to May's readers are the few momentoes of a Belgian girlhood and the diverse gifts from fans of her writing. May Sarton's work is sometimes filed under feminine studies or Lesbian writers; I would encourage anyone to pick up a book by May Sarton-the vibrancy and wealth are there for everyone to enjoy! She writes not only journals, but also some genuinely good, descriptive fiction with multi-faceted characters. I also highly value her poetry. And for animal-lovers, there are volumes of good stuff featuring the furred and feathered! As for myself, I am a hardy fan of May's journals. Here is vast opportunity for enrichment and life-study and I am grateful for a chance to review and research the many "asides" and references I find in all of May Sarton's work. To May Sarton: Bon Vie & Bon Lire & Merci!Read full review
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