A Little Original Sin - The Life and Work of Jane Bowles by Millicent Dillon

I'll often read literary biographies or autobiographies before I read the author's work. Dillon's biography made me decide it was well worth it to plunk down $17 for the complete work of Jane Bowles. But I wouldn't recommend this biography for its entertainment factor. The woman's emotional difficulties didn't make the stuff of her life cheerful or exciting, even while travelling through the Sahara on Camel-back. It's not full of delicious gossip, although there are appearances by many of her artist and writer contemporaries, such as Truman Capote and Tenessee Williams. And I guess I have to forgive Dillon for a writing style that does not offer much of a presence outside straight content delivery, after all this is biography – a solid depiction of a writer's life from start to finish. If it felt like Ms Bowles' long slow finish began rather too early - like halfway through the book - I can hardly blame the biographer for that course of events either.

NB: for writing style that does offer a presence outside of straightforward content delivery: Arthur Miller's Timebends - An Autobiography is excellent, or for a writing style that positively competes with content for your attention, read Gore Vidal's malicious and witty memoirs Palimpsest. Even if you are not a fan of Vidal's fiction, as I most vehemently am not, this book is alot of laughs and some interesting tales of his fellow artists, Hollywood personalities, and political stars - the intelligent reader's version of an unauthorized Kitty Kelley bio.

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