From Library Journal
These "conversations" provide contrasting glimpses of two important literary women. O'Connor is represented by 22 pieces published between 1952 and 1975, ranging from puffs in the Georgia press to deeper analysis by Granville Hicks. In all, O'Connor is remarkably consistent. Often physically confined by lupus, she was unrestricted in her meditations on aesthetics; what impresses here is her articulate yet concise elucidation of subtle philosophical stands, startlingly leavened with a wicked wit. Her reserve and modesty seem to puzzle many interviewers, though all are impressed with her talent and firm sense of herself as a writer. Porter, on the other hand, was a cosmopolitan charmer who didn't hesitate to embellish her biography (in her imagination she descended from Southern gentility rather than her poor Texas farm family). She alternated between the persona of Southern belle and the self-assured, experienced artist she was. The 24 selections, ranging from a profile as a young teacher in 1916 to a birthday celebration six decades later, reflect her long career. She is at her best in a Wesleyan College panel in which O'Connor also participated (printed in both volumes). While these "conversations" cannot be trusted for biographical research, they provide rewarding insights for students of literature. Recommended especially for undergraduate collections.Starr E. Smith, Georgetown Univ. Lib., Washington, D.C.Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.