Deep Woods: The Story of Robert FrostRobert Frost is considered the quintessential New England poet, though he was born in California. Left penniless by the death of her free-spending husband, Robbie's mother had to move her family east, where they relied on the charity of relatives. Young Robert would grow to love the landscape and make it a defining feature of his poetry.
Though he constantly struggled to provide for his family, Frost eked out a living as a farmer, teacher, and poet, until his poetry began to draw positive notice. Though he he did not have a college degree, Frost went on to teach at some of the country's most prestigious universities and collected twenty-six honorary degrees. His dozens of honors included four Pulitzer Prizes, but this glory and success did not translate to his personal life. He had to commit his mother, sister, and a daughter to sanitariums because of mental illness. His only son committed suicide, and Frost himself suffered from depression. His stature as a famous American poet was cemented when he read at President John F. Kennedy's inauguration, but Frost was never quite comfortable with his notoriety. Deep Woods: The Story of Robert Frost explores the story behind the life and words of one of America's best-known writers.
REVIEW:
This excellent introduction to Frost's life and work begins with the culmination of his career: an invitation from John F. Kennedy to deliver the poem "The Gift Outright" at Kennedy's inauguration. That moment marked a career that garnered the poet four Pulitzer Prizes and numerous honorary degrees. Caravantes shows vividly "the miles" Frost trod before he slept, at age 88, having experienced both the light and dark sides of human existence, and how he captured them in his work. The book has numerous sepia and color photos, including a picture of "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" handwritten by Frost, and a time line. This is an exceptional, easy-to-follow examination of a flawed, brilliant human being who created art of the highest caliber.
---School Library Journal, June 2006
