ArielAriel
Score Classic
What it's about
In the last months of her life, in a cold London flat in 1962 and 1963, Sylvia Plath wrote poems at an astonishing rate, sometimes several a day: Daddy, Lady Lazarus, Tulips, Ariel and others, full of fury and dazzling images. After her death, Ted Hughes published a version with a different selection and order. This edition restores the book as she left it.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of the best books of all time. These are some of the most powerful poems of the 20th century.
You'll love it if you liked
Birthday Letters
Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath
The Beauty of the HusbandGood to know
It's poetry, with themes of death and rage. The restored edition includes facsimiles of her manuscript.
By the numbers
- Readers83 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics51 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller20 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Moving
More by Sylvia Plath
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Quick answers
Is Ariel worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of the best books of all time. It ranks #543 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Ariel about?
In the last months of her life, in a cold London flat in 1962 and 1963, Sylvia Plath wrote poems at an astonishing rate, sometimes several a day: Daddy, Lady Lazarus, Tulips, Ariel and others, full of fury and dazzling images. After her death, Ted Hughes published a version with a different selection and order. This edition restores the book as she left it.
How long does it take to read Ariel?
About 6 hours (240 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Ariel?
If you liked it, try Birthday Letters by Ted Hughes, Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath by Heather Clark or The Beauty of the Husband by Anne Carson.