The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

By: Sylvia Plath, Karen V. Kukil - editor

Narrated by: Tanya Eby

Length: 30 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Published in their entirety, Sylvia Plath's journals provide an intimate portrait of the writer who was to produce in the last seven months of her life some of the most extraordinary poems of the 20th century. Faithfully transcribed from the 23 journals and journal fragments owned by Smith College, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath includes two journals that Plath's husband, Ted Hughes, unsealed just before his death in 1998.

A heavily abridged edition of Plath's diaries was published in 1982. This new unabridged edition reveals more fully the intensity of the poet's personal and literary struggles, and provides fresh insight into both her frequent desperation and the bravery with which she faced her demons. With its haunting, vibrant, and brutally honest prose, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath is a must-listen for all who have been moved and fascinated by Plath's life and work.

©2000 The Estate of Sylvia Plath; Preface, Notes, and Index Copyright 2000 by Karen V. Kukil (P)2019 Tantor

Very Interesting

I became a fan of Sylvia's the 1st time I read,
"The Bell Jar."
This is a deep look into Sylvia the person more than the writer.

Wrong choice for Narrator

Sylvia Plath is dark and tortured for the most part. The woman was a nihilistic, existential being. The narrator sounds like she is trying to read a self help book. She is way too optimistic and perky. It’s clear she can’t relate to anything Sylvia is saying because the tone would be completely different.

Anyone who thinks like this knows that the internal monologue isn’t like that. Sylvia’s internal voice when she was reading this was likely nowhere near this woman’s intonation and inflection.

I’m in no way taking from the energy it must have taken to do a 30 hour audiobook, but good lord just do it right.

This woman sounds like she should be reading a summer beach read book. Not Sylvia Plath. It’s so annoying. I’m returning this book because I’m not having my first experience with Sylvia tainted by this nonsense.

Great performance

Very well performed. Keeps me listening. Gives insight in the passions of a highly intelligent, ambitious and sensual young woman. This is the iceberg under her poetry. Why, by the way, isn't there yet an audiobook-verson of her poetrybook "Ariel"?

narrator almost made me hate one of my favorites

the narrator was at once pretensious and painfully upbeat. terrible choice for Sylvia fucking Plath.

Narrator speaks much too fast...poor choice.

Maggie Gyllenhaal was an excellent choice for The Bell Jar. It's unfortunate she didn't narrate this one. Either way, I purchased it for Sylvia's thoughts and language...I don't regret purchasing this one.

Wrong narrator

It’s very difficult to get into these journal entries because of the awful narration. The voice and the cadence are all wrong. This woman sounds nasally and like she’s out of breath. Rushing then slowing down. It’s so strange and such a huge distraction. I hope they re-record this with someone who’s better suited for this style of writing.

Plath would NOT be proud

Ironic that Sylvia Plath, who is known for advancing confessional poetry, would have her journals treated so atrociously, first by her own husband, and then by this editor. I got lost several times not knowing what year it was. There was no editorial context provided to put the journal content into context. The editor cast the narrator terribly, the narrator, using the same perky tone throughout. Including right up until the last few minutes, at the last journal entry, involving a very emotional funeral scene. Exact, same. goddamn. perky. tone.

There was an opportunity here to secure Sylvia Plath’s legacy, using her very own words. But as it was, I couldn’t gain insight into the mind of Sylvia Plath, because of how completely distracting the performance was, and also because of how confused I was often about the timeline.

What a missed opportunity. A skilled voice actor could have dug into this material. Even a skilled narrator could have sufficed. It was difficult to derive the proper meaning from what must have been momentous journal entries because the narration always set the wrong tone.