The Bell Jar

One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels

“A coming-of-age masterpiece. . . . Sylvia Plath has become one of the influential writers of her time.” —Boston Globe

Sylvia Plath’s masterwork—an acclaimed and enduring novel about a young woman falling into the grip of mental illness and societal pressures

Esther Greenwood is a bright, beautiful, enormously talented young woman, but she''s slowly going under—maybe for the last time. Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther’s breakdown with such intensity that her neurosis becomes palpably real, even rational—as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche, The Bell Jar is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.

This edition features extra insights into the book and author.