Reborn：Journals and Notebooks, 1947-1963

"Iintendtodoeverything...tohaveonewayofevaluatingexperience—doesitcausemepleasureorpain,andIshallbeverycautiousaboutrejectingthepainful—Ishallanticipatepleasureeverywhereandfindittoo,foritiseverywhere!Ishallinvolvemyselfwholly...everythingmatters!"SowroteSusanSontaginMay1949attheageofsixteen.This,thefirstofthreevolumesofherjournalsandnotebooks,presentsaconstantlyandutterlysurprisingrecordofagreatmindinincubation.Itbeginswithjournalentriesandearlyattemptsatfictionfromheryearsasauniversityandgraduatestudent,andendsin1964,whenshewasbecomingaparticipantinandobserveroftheartisticandintellectuallifeofNewYorkCity.Rebornisakaleidoscopicself-portraitofoneofAmerica’sgreatestwritersandintellectuals,teemingwithSontag’svoraciouscuriosityandappetiteforlife.WewatchtheyoungSontag’scomplexself-awareness,shareinherencounterswiththewriterswhoinformedherthinking,andengagewiththeprofoundchallengeofwritingitself—allfilteredthroughtheinimitabledetailofeverydaycircumstance.EditorialReviewsFromPublishersWeeklyStarredReview.ThefirstofthreeplannedvolumesofSontag'sprivatejournals,thisbookisextraordinaryforallthereasonswewouldexpectfromSontagswriting—extremeseriousness,stunningauthority,intolerancetowardmediocrity;Sontagsvulnerabilitythroughoutwillalsoutterlysurprisethelatecriticandnovelistsfansanddetractors.At15,whenthesejournalsbegan,Sontag(1933–2004)alreadydisplayedherferociousintellectandhungerforexperienceandculture,thoughwhatismostremarkablehereiswatchingSontaggrowintooneofthecentury'sleadingminds.Inthesecarefullyselectedexcerpts(manypassagesareonlyafewlines),Sontagdetailsherdevelopingthoughts,hervoluminousreadinganddailymovie-going,herlifeasateenagecollegestudentatBerkeleydiscoveringhersexuality(bisexualityastheexpressionoffullnessofanindividual),andmeetingandmarryingherprofessorPhilipRieff,withwhom,attheageof18,shehadDavid,heronlychild.MostpowerfularetheentriescorrespondingtoheryearsinEnglandandEurope,when,apartfromPhilipandtheirson,themarriagebrokedownandSontagenteredintenselesbianrelationshipsthatwouldcompelhertorethinkhernotionsofsex,love(physicalbeautyisenormously,almostmorbidly,importanttome)anddaughter-andmotherhood,andallbeforetheageof30.WatchingSontagbecomeherselfisnothingshortofcathartic.(Dec.)Copyright©ReedBusinessInformation,adivisionofReedElsevierInc.Allrightsreserved.FromBooklistRieffsensitivelyportrayedreveredcriticandnovelistSontagduringherlastdaysinSwimminginaSeaofDeath(2008)andnowcontinuestonavigatethegreatseaofherlegacyaseditorofherjournals.Hedidn’twanttoopenhismother’sprivatelifetopubliceyes,butbecauseherpapersareavailabletoscholars,hedoessopreemptively,grantingreadersaccesstotheinnermostthoughtsofagenuineprodigy.In1948,atage15,Sontagasks,“Andwhatisittobeyounginyearsandsuddenlyawakenedtotheanguish,theurgencyoflife?”Afterstartingcollegeat16,shefillsherjournalswithpassionateanalysisofbooks,herintellectualambitions,herstruggletoacceptherhomosexuality,andtheecstasyandtormentofherfirstlesbianrelationship.Then,suddenly,thisardentseekerbecomesawifeandmother.Shelovesherson,butmarriagedoesnotsuither,andherbattletoreclaimhertrueselfisoneofseveraldramaticrebirthspunctuatingthiselectrifyingrecordofSontagstrivingtobecomeSontag.Twomorevolumesareplanned.--DonnaSeamanReview“WhatultimatelymattersaboutSontag...iswhatshehasdefended:thelifeofthemind,andthenecessityforreadingandwritingas‘awayofbeingfullyhuman.’”—HilaryMantel,LosAngelesTimesBookReview