The Slanted Life of Emily Dickinson

Historians and poetry lovers have long been intrigued by the daily life barely glimpsed in Emily Dickinson’s poems and letters, with many academic works speculating about this renowned recluse. Bruno’s debut has gone one step farther, imagining a whole invented life for a modern-day Emily, including Facebook and Instagram accounts, list of favorite apps, and an OkCupid page. Themed chapters focus on subjects such as nature and death, but nearly each page contains a standalone gag. Drawn in a scratchy, hurried line, these strips will strike the reader as either charming or sloppy. In particular, the hand-lettering can be hard to read. Anyone who has ever wondered how Dickinson would have done as an agony aunt, or what song she might have chosen for karaoke, need wonder no more. Bruno has come up with witty answers for these and many other questions. (Mar.)