Carrington, Gershwin, And The Nature Of First Acts
By Nicholas Delbanco
FILED UNDER: Biography & Memoir Science & Society For History LoversThe Dark Side NPR Staff Picks For Art Lovers
A writer, a painter, a composer. Two of them famous; the third not so much. All died before age 40, leaving masterpieces of art (well, the writer and composer anyway!). Nicholas Delbanco says that Stephen Crane, Dora Carrington and George Gershwin had certain characteristics in common as young creators: All were energetic, exuberant, passionate about their art and received early attention and praise. The book has an academic feel, with literary quotations and helpful analysis. I was moved, thinking about such disparate talents and ambitions emerging in a blaze, then, sadly, dying before their talents could mature.
— recommended by Susan Stamberg, special correspondent, Morning Edition