Never-before-seen handwritten poems by the late poet show his grief after his partner’s suicide, just six years after his first wife Sylvia Plath’s. A series of unpublished poems written by Ted Hughes immediately after the tragic deaths of Assia Gutmann Wevill and their daughter Alexandra Tatiana Elise, known as Shura, might change the prevalent view of Ted Hughes as a […]
I am always happy to receive feedback from my readers, whether positive or otherwise, provided it’s honest and respectful. Here are some of the many responses I’ve had from the “chat” form on my website. If you have anything to say about either of my books, or any of my articles, I’d be delighted to hear from you. SImply go […]
Part of a continuing series on the biographical novel and the way it contributes to our understanding of biographical subjects—this time with Dina Davis who does justice to Assia Wevill — Read on anchor.fm/carl-rollyson/episodes/Sylvia-Plath–Ted-Hughes–and-most-of-all-Assia-Wevill-in-a-new-light-in-Capriccio-e19i1c7
www.goodreads.com/review/show/3604556589 I was touched by this review from an unknown reader. It reminds me that readers are still enjoying Capriccio, the fictionalised biography of Assia Gutmann Wevill, the notorious mistress of Poet Laureate Ted Hughes and rival of famous poetess Sylvia Plath. Thank you so much to all of you who’ve taken the time to read my book, and especially to those who’ve given it such positive reviews since its publication in 2018 by Cilento Publishers. This year Capriccio:A Novel was shortlisted for the fiction prize in the 2020 NT Chief Minister’s Book Awards, reinforcing the rewarding feedback from you, my readers. Now in its second edition with additional material, including an epilogue and bibliography, Capriccio:A Novel can be purchased from Amazon, Booktopia or Goodreads in hardback, paperback, or digital format. Order now at: amazon.com/author/dinadavis
Hi Friends and Followers, Recently I was given the opportunity to give a author talk on Zoom, through Randwick City Library in NSW Australia. Even though I was 4,000 km away in Darwin, NT, the TopEnd of Oz, I felt as if I were in the same room as Helene and my guests, who tuned in online through the miracle […]
In his article on the original Capriccio (Ted Hughes Society Journal Vol 8 Issue 2) Steve Ely discusses both the importance of the engravings by Leonard Baskin, and the relevance of Assia Wevill to the poetry. I found this article fascinating in Ely’s description of the collaboration between Hughe and Baskin. However I found it unsympathetic to Assia, describing her […]
THE WRITING OF CAPRICCIO I have written three completely different versions of this novel, over fifteen years, each of the three entailing many drafts. The first was called simply ‘Assia’, and was based on what I then knew of her life. Most of my information came from scholarly works on Hughes or Plath, plus a study of Hughes’s poetry. A […]
Latest Review of ‘Capriccio: A Novel’ I knew the story about Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath but to read about Assia, and get the rest of the story was quite amazing. You write so well. The characters come alive making the reader understand them and their motives. Throughout the book you maintain the tension making it a real page turner. […]
If Assia, named Esther in my novel. ‘Capriccio’, had lived to see this day, she would have reached the grand old age of ninety-three. Instead, in a moment of madness, she took her own life, and that of her daughter with Ted Hughes, at the age of forty-one. A double tragedy, undoubtedly caused by her stormy relationship with Hughes, and […]
This delightful review came all the way from Colorado, USA To summarise, I was totally hooked and could not put the book down. The story has multiple themes, as did the movie, “Parasite.” Where to start? One theme was, “Denial is not just a river in Egypt”. Another might be- “Be careful what you wish for, ” and “what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive,” to name just a few. You certainly zeroed in on obsession and narcissism in your portrayal of the characters. What a tragic story! I certainly had sympathy for Esther (although I wanted to shake her into reality at every turn, her background help me understand her sensibilities) the same for Grace. Tony and Tanya were the innocent victims of the obsession, no doubt. Having no sympathy for Larry, what so ever, was probably due to knowing very little about his background before Esther. I guess that might reflect my “ME TOO” bias in today’s world. As I read I was curious as to what inspired your writing related to your own background, Dina. It is always assumed that writers write from what they know. Dave also read your novel. Well done expresses both of our sentiments. Sarah, March 2020. Quoted with permission 2. I’m humbled and delighted by this 5 star review on Goodreads in January 2020. So happy readers are still enjoying it. Dragonladymoi‘s review Jan 07, […]
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Dina Davis Author 