Open Me Carefully: Emily Dickinson's Intimate Letters to Susan Huntington Dickinson

This book presents Emily Dickinson’s passionate letters to a woman that were censored for decades.

In this fiery correspondence that inspired the Apple TV series “Dickinson” and indie romcom “Wild Nights with Emily,” Emily Dickinson is no longer some mythical recluse: she is a hilarious, passionate woman who suddenly seems very real. In the late 20th century, scholars discovered that the name of Dickinson’s close friend and eventual sister-in-law Susan was erased from several poems and letters, and it’s no wonder why: the correspondence is full of passion, such as Dickinson’s proclamation, “The expectation once more to see your face again makes me feel hot and feverish, and my heart beats so fast.” The beautifully-written “letter-poems” transcend the boundaries of poetry and prose, showing a fascinating relationship that changed over time but was always devoted and profoundly influential on Dickinson as a writer. The scholarly editors include useful, accessible notes and commentary alongside the faithful reproductions of Dickinson’s writing idiosyncrasies. “Open Me Carefully” is a wonderful read for anyone interested in historical love letters, the minds of great writers, or LGBT history.