We Dickinsons: The Life of Emily Dickinson as Seen Through the Eyes of Her Brother Austin

The story is written from the point of view of Emily's brother, Austin. It is suitable for junior high school readers. The authors, it seems, were impelled to write a book on Emily Dickinson for reason of her joyous seclusion. There is a diagram of the Dickinson homestead at the beginning and a map of Amherst. When Austin was eleven, Emily was nine, and Lavinia was younger. The opening covers the family's move to a house on Pleasant Street. Mr. Dickinson was campaigning for William Henry Harrison. Relatives lived in Monson and Worcester.When Austin went to Easthampton to attend Mr. Williston's new seminary, Emily missed him. At age thirteen she was depressed over the death of a classmate. Her family urged her to vist an aunt in Boston and an uncle in Worcester, and she did. Emily felt that beauty was buried under all the science after hearing an explanation of geology by the new president of Amherst College. Austin learned that Emily had a sense of guilt about religion. Austin went to Amherst College and later Emily spent a year at Mt.Holyoke Female Seminary. A friend asked Austin to guard Emily from the trivia of a small town.A great religious revival swept New England in 1850. Emily didn't want to seize the wondrous faith but she did feel a desolation of spirit. The revival went into a third month. Father and Lavinia joined the church. Emily and Austin did not succumb to the fervor. Austin studied law at his father's office and later went to Harvard to study law. The family heard Jenny Lind at Northampton. Emily grew reluctant to be in crowds. Mr. Dickinson bought back the family homestead, his father's mansion. Emily and Lavinia traveled to Washington. They visited Mount Vernon. Austin built a house in Amherst for himself and his wife, Sue Gilbert. (Sue was one of the most understanding readers of Emily's poems.)Sue, Austin, Lavinia, and Emily went to hear Emerson lecture at Amherst College. Emily started to disappear from social gatherings. Her time was precious to her. In 1861 Austin was thirty two. He certainly did not want to volunteer to fight in the Civil War. Emily refused to see a friend of the family, Sam Bowles, because he had been sick and she felt oppressed. She said she was smothered by talking and bantering. She also felt riches at times because she felt at one with something. Emily wrote to Thomas Wentworth Higginson. He was conventional in his literary criticism but she continued to write to him year after year.The big event in 1870 when Emily was forty was a visit with Thomas Wentworth Higginson. He was a gentle visitor, a man with a quill. As time passed Emily withdrew. She did not venture beyond the hedge. Following her father's death, Emily's withdrawal from the world became complete. Austin died nine years after Emily did.