Emily Dickinson wrote short, often enigmatic poems that are widely read
and quoted by people of every age. Yet, as well known as her poetry is,
Dickinson as a person is considered to have been a mysterious recluse--a
silent figure who wore only white, wrote in secret, never left her home,
and had no interest in sharing her poetry. In Becoming Emily, young
readers will learn how as a child, an adolescent, and well into
adulthood, Dickinson was a lively social being with a warm family life.
Highly educated for a girl of her era, she actively engaged in both the
academic and social aspects of the schools she attended until she was
nearly eighteen. Her family and friends were important to her, and she
was a prolific, thoughtful, and witty correspondent who shared many
poems with her closest friends and relatives. This indispensable
resource includes photos, full-length poems, letter excerpts, a time
line, source notes, and a bibliography to present a vivid portrait of
this singular American poet.