Afternoons with Emily: A Novel

By Rose MacMurray

In mid-19th-century Amherst, Emily Dickinson is famous both for her notable family and for her reclusive ways, and only Miranda Chase, a smart girl with big plans for her own life, is allowed to enter the budding poet's very private world. At first, their Monday afternoon visits involve discussing books over piping hot cups of tea, but when Miranda begins exploring her own yearnings -- for love, for an education, even for a career -- she discovers that being a friend of Emily's is not without its dangers. The very charisma that has inspired her becomes a web of intrigue, and to escape it, Miranda will imperil her reputation, her independence, and even her dreams. Drawing on letters, poems, and everything that is known about Dickinson's life, Afternoons With Emily is a vivid portrait of America's most famous poet, a coming-of age story that spans the Civil War, and a tale of two brilliant women who each chose to break with convention and live life on their own terms.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316017604
• ISBN13: 9780316017602
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.5" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

An Enchanting Book

I will admit that I approached this book with a bias. I was very lucky to attend the weekly poetry class Rose MacMurray taught at my elementary school about twenty years ago. She was an amazing and inspiring teacher who managed to reserve praise while still encouraging her students. When she told you something was good, you knew she meant it. The class was so influential and memorable that when I found a beatup copy of the poetry collection we used, I immediately bought it and paid a small fortune to have it rebound. The postcard Mrs. MacMurray sent me from Greece the year after my family moved and I was no longer her student is still one of my prized possessions. I was devastated to hear that Mrs. MacMurray had died, but excited to learn that she had published a novel. I approached "Afternoons with Emily" with high hopes. Happily, my expectations were met. As I read this book, I was struck both by the lyrical descriptions and by the pace. This is a slow-paced book, especially when compared to the zippy prose on the internet. Don't misunderstand, "slow-paced" is not boring. Mrs. MacMurray's writing reminds me of Jane Austin's -- there is a gentleness and no rush to describe characters or push through the plot. Instead, the book blooms slowly, completely and beautifully. Mrs. MacMurray's love of Dickinson's poetry is evident, but she does not overidealize the poet. Dickinson is portrayed as a real person with flaws and weaknesses. I loved this book, and I think I would have even if I did not love the author. This is a novel to think about and enjoy. If you prefer to rush through series books just to discover the ending, "Afternoons with Emily" is not for you. If you have read "Emma" a hundred times and still find phrases that fascinate you, you won't want to miss this one.

Eloquent and Lyrical Novel

I deeply regret that the author of this book will never get the chance to write another, because I found this novel one of those impossible-to-put-down treats. I wasn't me reading the book--I was Miranda Chase as she lived her life and grew to fulfill a role greater than that which society had expected her to fill. Emily, on the other hand, shrinks and withdraws from the world until she seems like a wraith inhabiting the tiny, fragile world that she finally created around her. I found myself cheering for Miranda, weeping my way through her losses, and unable to put the book down to go to bed. I've already recommended it to all my nearest friends. Highly recommend you read it not as a scholarly, dull biography of Emily Dickinson but as a snapshot of life during that part of the 18th century in one part of the country. What a wonderful book!

A perfect novel for 19th century American literature fans

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (6/07) "Afternoons with Emily," is a fictional story about the life of Emily Dickinson as seen through the eyes of her friend Miranda Chase. Miranda's story begins as a small child. Her mother was ill with tuberculosis and her father was emotionally distant. Miranda was a very intelligent girl who spent her early years, trapped in her house, separated from other family members and friends. They were all led to believe that she had the disease as well. Miranda develops a close relationship with her tutor. She was a very intelligent girl and easy to teach. After the death of her mother, Miranda's father seems to come to his senses of how his daughter is being neglected. He takes her to see family in Barbados. Here is a place where she comes alive. The descriptions of Barbados and the customs there are breathtaking. Miranda gains strength and for the first time has friends other than her tutors and nannies. Miranda's father then moves them to Amherst, Massachusetts where Miranda meets Emily. At this point, Emily is 15-years older than her and already living a reclusive life. Emily is very eccentric, and in spite of her strange ways, Miranda is drawn to her. Emily relies on Miranda to let her know what is happening in the world. She has friendships with various people whom she knows through correspondence. As Miranda goes through her life experiencing love and heartbreak, Emily lives in a fantasy world where her suitors are the men that she writes to. At one point, the friendship is disrupted because Emily betrays her. Emily's motives appear to be very selfish and Miranda finds herself needing to move on. "Afternoons with Emily" is a beautifully written story. Mrs. MacMurray had a gift with words in that she could pull you right into the story and make you feel like you are really there. This is a great way to learn about 19th century American History and Literature. Miranda's life is very interesting. Emily Dickinson's life is sad in a way. For whatever reason she chose to be reclusive, she still managed to write some incredibly beautiful poetry.

A rivieting new novel about Emily Dickinson

This is a truly beautiful book, written lyrically and lovingly by an author who was herself a poet. Her research into Dickinson's poems and letters was extensive, and it shows. The Emily Dickinson that emerges is a complex and utterly believable figure. The Civil War atmosphere, both on and off the battlefield, is impressive. This is perfect for book clubs, and my own is reading it for June. This should be a classic, for lovers of poetry, history, and books in general.