Tag: libraries

Spending time in research libraries is a passion of mine, one I exercise as often as I can. The research I find informs my writing here tremendously.

One of my favorites is the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University (it has its own tag here on The Diary of an Improvateur), which I’ve visited many times and have found some life lessons among the papers of some heavyweight writers. I’ve combed through boxes papers belonging to Thornton Wilder, Gertrude Stein, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Edmund Wilson, Edith Wharton, Henry Miller and Petrarch (yes, Petrarch!).

The remarkable men and women who’ve left literary legacies I would like to emulate are teaching me about more than writing as I sift through their lives; they are illuminating some remarkable lessons about living. This doesn’t mean I see them as pinnacles of psychological health—quite a few of them were some of the most tortured people who’ve ever lived. I am keen on sharing what I learn here on the blog so you can click on this tag to see what awareness I have unearthed!

Books Creative Writing Literature

Treasures According to Petrarch

This essay defining what Petrarch saw as treasures is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in the book feature…

Creative Writing Literature Travel

Life Lessons from a Research Library

Saxon Henry November 17, 2020 American poets Beinecke Library Edith Wharton famous writers Gertrude Stein keeping diaries libraries Lost Generation novelists summer reading list

This essay exploring the life lessons I have learned from a research library is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other…

Creative Writing Literature Travel

It All Leads Back to Poe

Saxon Henry June 5, 2020 American poets authenticity famous writers libraries New York City novelists poetry summer reading list

This essay highlighting the influence that Edgar Allan Poe had on American literature is included in my most recent book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other…

Architecture Cultural Explorations Mythology

A Passion for Paestum

Saxon Henry April 25, 2020 Greek deities Italy keeping diaries libraries nonfiction writers Rome set decoration summer reading list Venice

This essay featuring three important perceptions of the archaeological site in Paestum, Italy, is included in my new book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other…

Detail of the cover of the first edition paperback of “Tropic of Cancer”

Books Creative Writing Travel

Henry Miller the Paris Years

Saxon Henry March 29, 2020 Beinecke Library famous writers France keeping diaries libraries Lost Generation novelists Paris Yale University

This essay about Henry Miller in Paris is included in my new book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in the book feature similar literary…

The reading room of the Bibliothèque Mazarine

Architecture Creative Writing Travel

Libraries Are My Temples

Saxon Henry February 19, 2020 architectural storytelling Baroque Era Emotionality of Architecture France libraries Louis XIV Paris royal palaces

This essay about the legacy of Cardinal Mazarin, which includes several libraries, is included in my book The Modern Salonnière. The 34 other essays in…

Films Literature Travel

Earnest in Paris

Saxon Henry February 21, 2017 actors and actresses American poets Beinecke Library dead poets society Ernest Hemingway famous writers Ford Madox Ford France Gertrude Stein libraries Lost Generation memoirs novelists Paris popular movies

This comparative look at Wes Anderson and Ernest Hemingway, Earnest in Paris, is a guest post by Miles Stephenson, a talented young writer whom I…

Art Literature Travel

A Backward Glance on rue de Varenne

Saxon Henry February 6, 2017 American poets Baroque Era Beinecke Library Dante Alighieri dead poets society Edith Wharton Ernest Hemingway Ezra Pound famous writers fine antiques Ford Madox Ford France French aristocracy Gertrude Stein Henry James House of Bourbon keeping diaries libraries literary design encounters Lost Generation Marquise de Rambouillet memoirs nonfiction writers novelists Paris philosophers Royal Courtiers royal palaces salonniere The Literary Adventurer writing desks Yale University

The narrow sidewalks push their black iron batons up out of the ground to protect the buildings hemming them; the rain turns the cobblestones to…

Classical and Modern architecture meet at Yale

Architecture Creative Writing Literature

Touching Literary History

Saxon Henry September 7, 2016 American poets dead poets society famous writers keeping diaries libraries memoirs nonfiction writers novelists Paris Petrarch poetry salonniere The Literary Adventurer Yale University

I will once again be touching literary history soon, as the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University reopened yesterday following a 16-month…

Cultural Explorations Furniture Design Literature

This Side of Paradise

Saxon Henry July 16, 2016 American furniture manufacturers design industry leaders design narratives documentaries Edith Wharton Ernest Hemingway famous writers Henry James High Point Market libraries literary design encounters Lost Generation New York City novelists writing desks

I looked forward to meeting Michael Berman during the Spring 2016 High Point Market when he was there to debut his Califolio collection for Theodore…