Hymn of Despair: The Blue Song of Tennessee Williams

Henry Schvey's discovery of an unknown poem by Tennessee Williams was not only a once-in-a-lifetime find but another piece of the puzzle of a man whose past continued to follow him and which helped provide the inspiration for his work. The poem, Blue Song became the inspiration for Schvey's book, The Blue Song: St. Louis in the Life and Work of Tennessee Williams. A captivating side of Williams' life in St. Louis by an author who unknowingly crossed paths with the playwright.

[03:00] Background

• Henry Schvey, Professor of Drama and Comparative Literature at Washington University in St. Louis
• Interest in Tennessee Williams

[07:07] The discovery of the poem, Blue Song

[14:03] The St. Louis influence in Williams' work

• Informative and growing up years
• How it shows out in his plays

[25:45] Dealing with the past

• Other writers
• Williams returns to St. Louis to dry out
• Ultimate irony-Williams burial in St. Louis

[33:25] St. Louis Jewish Book Festival and future work on Tennessee Williams by Henry Schvey

• Insight from the paintings of Williams
• Getting it to perfection-addiction to writing

This is Season 4! For more episodes, go to stlintune.com

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