I Used to Live Here Once

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Jean Rhys stands out as one of the most compelling writers of the twentieth century, with her Caribbean girlhood deeply influencing her four brilliant novels, particularly the renowned Wide Sargasso Sea. Despite her impactful work, Rhys's colorful life, especially her early years in Dominica, has remained largely unexplored—until now. In I Used to Live Here Once, Miranda Seymour illuminates the fiercely independent artist whose experiences of tragedy, poverty, and tumultuous relationships shaped the “Rhys woman” in her fiction. Rhys's characters, often vulnerable and disaster-prone outsiders, resonate with readers today, reflecting a unique perspective on navigating the world. Importantly, while her writing often draws from her life, Rhys herself was never a victim; Seymour reveals her as cultured, self-mocking, and unpredictably modern. Utilizing new Caribbean research, along with previously unseen papers, journals, letters, and interviews, I Used to Live Here Once presents a luminous and insightful portrait of this elusive artist, offering a deeper understanding of her life and the influences behind her enduring literary legacy.