I know this is a good place to ask:

What's the best biography of Robert Frost?

And how about his own essays--what's the best collection of those?

Andrew—

There is no biography of Frost, in my opinion, that isn't skewed one way or the other. The best, in the sense of being the least skewed, is probably Jeffrey Meyers'. Jay Parini's is also very good, though I can't help thinking that Parini is a little too fond of his subject. You might also like A Literary Life Reconsidered by William H. Pritchard. It's less a generic biography and more a re-evaluation, after the backlash set in motion by Larry Thompson, of Frost as poet. Finally, there is of course the official biography. This one, unless you really want to know what all the fuss was about, is worth avoiding. It's a perfect example of what happens when a closed mind tries to comprehend an open mind.

As for Frost's essays, there's a pretty decent collection of them in the LOA edition of Frost's works. Alternatively, you might consider the recently published Collected Prose of Robert Frost by Mark Richardson—all his essays in one volume.

I'd say Pritchard's book is the best introduction to life and works. Parini is probably the best full biography. Meyers may have all the facts but he doesn't understand poetry. (The same thing is true of Fiona McCarthy's biography of Byron; you wonder why these people take these tasks on, other than for the money.)

I haven't seen the new Collected Prose that Mike mentions but the LOA edition has all the most important critical prose he wrote - as well as the best versions of all the poetry.

Thanks a lot, Mike and Gregory. From what you're saying, I think I'll go with the Pritchard (who I admire as a critic) and maybe the Parini, plus the LOA edition for the essays. That will get me what I'm looking for, it seems. Thanks again,
Andrew