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Selected Letters of William StyronBy: William Styron In 1950, at the age of twenty four, William Clark Styron, Jr., wrote to his mentor, Professor William Blackburn of Duke University. The young writer was struggling with his first novel, Lie Down in Darkness, and he was nervous about whether his strain and toil would amount to anything. When I mature and broaden, Styron told Blackburn, I expect to use the language on as exalted and elevated a level as I can sustain. I believe that a
By: William StyronIn 1950, at the age of twenty-four, William Clark Styron, Jr., wrote to his mentor, Professor William Blackburn of Duke University. The young writer was struggling with his first novel, Lie Down in Darkness, and he was nervous about whether his “strain and toil” would amount to anything. “When I mature and broaden,” Styron told Blackburn, “I expect to use the language on as exalted and elevated a level as I can sustain. I believe that a writer should accommodate language to his own peculiar personality, and mine wants to use great words, evocative words, when the situation demands them.”
In February 1952, Styron was awarded the Prix de Rome of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which crowned him a literary star. In Europe, Styron met and married Rose Burgunder, and found himself immersed in a new generation of expatriate writers. His relationships with George Plimpton and Peter Matthiessen culminated in Styron introducing the debut issue of The Paris Review. Literary critic Alfred Kazin described him as one of the postwar “super-egotists” who helped transform American letters.
His controversial The Confessions of Nat Turner won the 1968 Pulitzer Prize, while Sophie’s Choice was awarded the 1980 National Book Award, and Darkness Visible, Styron’s groundbreaking recounting of his ordeal with depression, was not only a literary triumph, but became a landmark in the field.
Part and parcel of Styron’s literary ascendance were his friendships with Norman Mailer, James Baldwin, John and Jackie Kennedy, Arthur Miller, James Jones, Carlos Fuentes, Wallace Stegner, Robert Penn Warren, Philip Roth, C. Vann Woodward, and many of the other leading writers and intellectuals of the second half of the twentieth century.
This incredible volume takes readers on an American journey from FDR to George W. Bush through the trenchant observations of one of the country’s greatest writers. Not only will readers take pleasure in William Styron’s correspondence with and commentary about the people and events that made the past century such a momentous and transformative time, they will also share the writer’s private meditations on the very art of writing.
Advance praise for Selected Letters of William Styron
“I first encountered Bill Styron when, at twenty, I read The Confessions of Nat Turner. Hillary and I became friends with Bill and Rose early in my presidency, but I continued to read him, fascinated by the man and his work, his triumphs and troubles, the brilliant lights and dark corners of his amazing mind. These letters, carefully and lovingly selected by Rose, offer real insight into both the great writer and the good man.”—President Bill Clinton
“The Bill Styron revealed in these letters is altogether the Bill Styron who was a dear friend and esteemed colleague to me for close to fifty years. The humor, the generosity, the loyalty, the self-awareness, the commitment to literature, the openness, the candor about matters closest to him—all are on display in this superb selection of his correspondence. The directness in the artful sentences is such that I felt his beguiling presence all the while that I was enjoying one letter after another.”—Philip Roth
“Bill Styron’s letters were never envisioned, far less composed, as part of the Styron oeuvre, yet that is what they turn out to be. Brilliant, passionate, eloquent, insightful, moving, dirty-minded, indignant, and hilarious, they accumulate power in the reading, becoming in themselves a work of literature.”—Peter Matthiessen
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★★★★★ 5
Good privacy screen
Size: 1 Panel, Size: 1 Panel
This is a good privacy screen that's easy to assemble and looks nice. Be a little careful moving it, as the corners can twist. It's sturdy once in place, and the thick material is completely opaque. If the folds bother you, you might want to iron it, but I'm happy with it as is.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2026
★★★★★ 3
Lightweight divider that works well for video call backgrounds
Size: 1 Panel
This divider works fine for what it is, but it’s definitely on the lightweight side.
Setup was very easy and only took a few minutes. The frame is fairly light, so it’s easy to move around or reposition if needed. That said, the tradeoff is that it’s not especially sturdy. It stands fine on its own but I wouldn’t expect it to handle much bumping or movement.
I mainly bought it to use as a background for Zoom calls when I’m working from my den, and for that purpose it works great. The fabric panel blocks the room behind me and gives a cleaner background on camera.
It’s not huge though. To keep the camera from seeing around it, I have to position it directly behind my chair. If you’re expecting it to divide a large room or create a big privacy barrier, it may feel a bit small.
Overall, it does the job and works well for temporary setups or video call backgrounds, but the lightweight frame keeps it from feeling like a premium divider.
The product description and photos are accurate.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2026
★★★★★ 2
Sent Wrong Pieces
Size: 1 Panel, Size: 1 Panel
I really, really wanted to like this - and, in theory, I really, really should have! The instructions were easy to follow and assembly took about five minutes. The assembled screen is lightweight and easy to move. It was a great size and exactly what I was looking for except....I wasn't sent the correct pieces. Instead of receiving 4 elbow pieces and 4 feet, I received 2 elbow pieces and 8 feet - meaning that the bottom part of the fabric just hangs there and, overall, the divider is extremely unstable because there is no horizontal support on the bottom. Thankfully, there are Velcro tabs on the side of the fabric so I can use it if I don't plan to move it even 1 cm, but otherwise, what I received is not usable for what I needed it for. Additionally, the fabric is made of polyester and catches animal hair very easily. Had I received the correct pieces, this would be a good buy for the money. Unfortunately, overall, I'm disappointed.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Works great, keeps the light out of my eyes and easy to put together
Size: 1 Panel, Size: 1 Panel
I got this room divider in and it works great. It’s really easy to put together you don’t even need tools. I really like that it’s not see through, it’s not a black out curtain but it keeps light out pretty good.
I absolutely hate my bedroom layout there’s no bathroom door. My girlfriend and I have different work schedules so I’m trying to sleep while she’s getting ready for work and the light shines right in my eyes. This divider keeps the light out of my eyes and that’s exactly what I was hunting for. I also like that you can adjust the length. I took one of the bars out to make it a little shorter and it worked great.
I would recommend this room divider.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Very good product.
Size: 6 Ft, Color: Black
The item is great, and low profile. Putting the very connections you need, right where you need them.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2025