Jerri Dell
After a thirty year career working with illiterate women in poor countries for the World Bank, I moved to rural Pennsylvania where I write creative non-fiction and memoir. I am just completing work on my book "Blood Too Bright: Floyd Dell Remembers Edna St. Vincent Millay" which is my version of the book on which my grandfather, early 20th century author Floyd Dell, was working at the time of his death in 1969. In addition, I am writing a memoir of my travels for the World Bank in the 1990's and another memoir about growing up with my grandparents in Washington, D.C. among the ghosts of their Greenwich Village friends.
Works
Blood Too Bright - Floyd Dell Remembers Edna St. Vincent Millay
One hundred years ago, Bohemian author and editor of the radical Masses magazine Floyd Dell began a passionate affair with a newcomer to Greenwich Village, the yet to be discovered ‘girl-poet’ Edna St. Vincent Millay. During the years that followed both Dell and Millay became symbols of early 20th century feminism, bohemianism, rebellion and literary freedom. A century later, while poring over her grandfather’s papers at Chicago’s Newberry Library, Jerri Dell discovered hundreds of handwritten letters—and an unpublished memoir--about her grandfather’s love affair with Edna St. Vincent Millay. Finding him as outlandish, entertaining and insightful now as he was when she knew him fifty years ago she chose to bring him – and his poet lover --- back to life within the pages of this book. Admirers of Edna Millay, as well as 20th century American literary and political history buffs, Bohemian Village enthusiasts and general readers interested in creative people living in fascinating times are sure to enjoy this eye-witness account of a fascinating woman and exceptional poet.