The World Broke in Two: Virginia Woolf, T. S. Eliot, D. H. Lawrence, E. M. Forster and the Year That Changed Literature

Loved it, a novel approach and it works within the frame of highlighting 1922 as the year that changed the trajectory of modern literature thereafter in seismic fashion. Joyce would have been a more appropriate author to have followed than DH Lawrence who was outside the close circle of the other giant figures. A lot of the material is drawn from the personal letters of these four giant personalities in English literature of the 20th century. Rather humorous how they were all so polite when with each other in person but then so nasty and critical of each other in their journals, so full of backbiting.

The detail in this book is truly impressive, so salute Goldstein for his in-depth research. Sometimes the author's narrative is difficult to read, but it is an enjoyable story. I have enjoyed reading it because of the important information in the book. The perspective is refreshing about all that was going on in 1922. I thoroughly recommend it.

Although I am primarily a reader of escapist fiction, I really enjoyed this book. It reads a lot like a juicy novel as it relates the intimate challenges and life experiences of four world-famous authors (Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliot, D.H. Lawrence, and E.M. Forster) during a pivotal moment in early Twentieth Century literature. Like many former English majors, I thought I knew a fair amount about these then-celebrity authors, but I didn’t know that they knew each other quite well and went through some similar wrenching personal and professional experiences over a period of a few short years, primarily in 1922. Mr. Goldstein manages to weave together these shared experiences with carefully placed quotes from contemporaneous letters and other scholarly works without being remotely tedious. In fact, some of it is downright gossipy, which adds to the fun. He’s a real story-teller, and he zeros in not just on the interesting personal traits and experiences of these colossal literary figures, but on how those things guided their actions and evolution as both writers and human beings. This is a great read for all kinds of readers.

This is one of those books that gives both more and less of what I was looking for, especially given the implications of the title. We learn a great deal about the lives of these four artists, especially their personal angst, depression, competition and frequent loss of confidence, all of it played out within a particular year. What we don't learn is the Why or How of the emerging modernism animated in considerable part by all four. What happened in this one year to lay the ground of a new style of writing and communicating? I was looking for more of a backdrop against which these literary geniuses would struggle and ultimately succeed. 1922 did not change literature (subtitle). The subjects did. Where is the link between the world they inhabited and their respective breakthroughs? That said, Goldstein does a brilliant job of presenting how extremely difficult, at times impossible, writing can be - even for the likes of Woolf, Forster, Eliot and Lawrence. For that alone, I recommend it highly.

Book arrived on time, as posted, and in very good condition, as advertised.

Interesting concept of what all 4 authors were doing in 1922, It helps the reading if one is familiar with what Woolfe, Eliot, Forster, and Lawrence wrote, The book makes me want sequels for subbsequent years if their lives.

I loved this book. I had read biographies of Virginia Wolff and although I was familiar with T.S. Eliot and actually saw him on TV reciting parts of The Wasteland, I was less familiar with D. H. Lawrence and E. M. Forster but I learned a lot about more about all four authors and how their lives and careers intersected in 1922. As a fan of the years between WWI and WWII, I especially like this literary take on 1922. I have reread The Wasteland and have ordered A Passage to India based on this book. I love books about writers.

A must read If you love Woolf, Lawrence, Forster, & TS Eliot... fascinating to see the behind the scenes look at the creation of their great works and the relationship between these writers

Excelente para quem quer compreender melhor o modernismo e o lançamento de 3 grandes obras que marcaram o século XX.

Excellent!

I received a different book .I applied for refund but due to some confusion pick up could not materialize . Wrote a number of refund messages but the pickup was not re arranged.

Offers a great insights into the flaws, foibles and frequent frightfulness of the humans behind the products of their genius. I totally loved the read.

Great