James Wright (1927-1980)

A selective list of online literary criticism for James Wright, favoring signed articles by recognized scholars, articles published in reviewed sources, and web sites that adhere to the MLA Guidelines for Web Pages

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Literary criticism

Anderson, Maggie. "The River Down Home: James Wright and My Hillbilly Father." Ohioana Quarterly, Spring 2001

Blunk, Jonathan. An Introduction to Twelve Letters by James Wright. American Poetry Review, July/Aug. 2005

Finley, Michael. A nephew of James Wright's describes the influence his uncle had on him. Self-published

Foster, Jeanne. The first workshop: A memoir of James Wright. American Poetry Review, July/Aug. 2001

Hass, Robert. Short "poet's choice" article on James Wright's poetry, by former poet laureate Robert Hass, Washington Post, 9/27/98

Kirsch, Adam. "Primal Ear: Roethke, Wright, and the cult of authenticity." New Yorker, 8/1/05

Lensing, George S. Strategies for teaching James Wright's poetry, from Heath Guides

Marks, Justin. "In My Father's House There Are Many Rooms." On poet Franz Wright's complicated relationship with his father, James Wright. Web del Sol

Moramarco, Fred. A lengthy essay from Containing Multitudes has a section on James Wright among the other poets he considers, poets who would move "toward a poetry centered in the physical self of the poet who produced it. They participated collectively in the mid-century poetic climate that revolutionized poetry and greatly broadened its possibilities."

Ruark, Gibbons. With James Wright At The Grave Of Edward Thomas: Notes From The Cutting Room Floor." Cortland Review, Spring 2003

Introduction

An introduction to James Wright plus excerpts of reputable critical discussions of some poems, from the Modern American Poetry Site (U of Illinois)

"James Wright." Poetry Foundation. Ed. Catherine Halley. Good, encyclopedia-type introduction to the poet's themes, and techniques, with a biography and samples of poems.

"James Wright." A brief introduction to Wright, from the Academy of American Poets

About the annual James Wright poetry festival held in Wright's birthplace, Martins Ferry, Ohio. About the 1987 festival Time Magazine, 10/19/87

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