Tennessee Williams

In 2011, the centennial of Tennessee Williams's birth, events were held around the world honoring America's greatest playwright. There were festivals, conferences, and exhibitions held in places closely associated with Williams's life and career--New Orleans held major celebrations, as did New York, Key West, and Provincetown. But absolutely nothing was done to celebrate Williams's life and extraordinary literary and theatrical career in the place that he lived in longest, and called home longer than any other--St. Louis, Missouri. The question of this paradox lies at the heart of this book, an attempt not so much to correct the record about Williams's well-chronicled dislike of the city, but rather to reveal how the city was absolutely indispensable to his formation and development both as a person and artist. Unlike the prevailing scholarly narrative that suggests that Williams discovered himself artistically and sexually in the deep South and New Orleans, Blue Song reveals that Williams remained emotionally tethered to St. Louis for a host of reasons for the rest of his life.

includes "Thomas Lanier Williams, Washington University: St. Louis, 1935-1940"

The "story of the "unknown" years of the playwright's life, before Tom, the person, was eclipsed by Tennessee, the celebrated persona"

Includes "The Region of Good Manners (Tennessee Williams): Midtown" pp. 140 -143

Includes excerpt from Williams’ memoirs about St. Louis and an excerpt from his play, “A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur” (pp. 765-784)

A revealing memoir that includes recollections of growing up in St. Louis. ISBN number and cover image are for the 2006 reprint. The call number is for the first edition in the WashU Libraries' holdings.