James Joyces’s Baby Impressions and Other “Awkward Pleasures” of Literary Biography
In 1994, at Lake District, The Paris Review introduced readers to an interview with Hermione Lee, chosen by Daisy Hildyard. This interview, featured in the Summer issue, discussed the art of biography with Louisa Thomas. Lee and Thomas explored the complexities of biography, including the shape of a life, the ingredients of an achievement, and the need to find a sympathetic structure.
They acknowledged the role of blame in biography, as biographers often attribute shortcomings to specific individuals. Lee cited examples like the biography of Vita Sackville-West, which blamed her half-brothers for her unhappiness. The interview highlighted the emotional nature of biography, with examples such as the treatment of Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, and D.H.
Lawrence. Lee also touched on the importance of original research and the illuminating interpretations of authors' works, noting the lasting value of her own biographies of Penelope Fitzgerald and Virginia Woolf.
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