Margaret Fuller Ossoli (1810–1850)

"These Sad But Glorious Days" is a series of columns published in the New-York Tribune, collected together. The bits where Fuller was in England were among the more interesting, as she relates a first-person, outsider perspective on many of the issues that I study. Her time in France is okay, but the book really picks up when she gets to Italy, since revolution is brewing. Again, the first-person perspective is great, especially once Rome comes under attack. On the other hand, she prints too many long speeches which I just skipped over.

The book's introduction, by editors Larry J. Reynolds and Susan Belasco Smith, annoyed me. No, it's not a crime against literature to republish something in a new context, and you don't need to apologize for it.… (más)

I'm afraid I grew rather tired of this. I might have enjoyed it in small doses since much of the writing is worthwhile and graceful, but as a single work read in consecutive pieces, it just grows rather repetitive in subject-matter and randomness. My recommendation would be to read it in chapters as you might wander through an anthology of stories--I think it might stay fresh and not become exhaustive in that case. Otherwise, for someone who enjoys the other transcendentalists, this is probably worthwhile; for me, it was a bit longwinded. I'd love to follow in her footsteps and visit some of these sights, but that's about all I can say at this point. Just not for me.… (más)