William Sharp (Fiona Macleod): A Memoir Compiled by His Wife Elizabeth A. Sharp

A uniquely personal portrait emerges from the intimate correspondence and fragmented diaries of a poet who lived in two literary selves. His wife, who spent more years beside him than any other confidante, weaves together letters he wrote as himself and as his alter‑ego, revealing the quiet moments that shaped his early verses and the moment his secret pseudonym first appeared in print. Through their private exchanges with figures such as Wilde and Stevenson, listeners hear the tenderness, doubts, and creative spark that guided his first half of life, ending with the publication of Vistas.

The memoir then turns to the dawning of his second phase, when the name Fiona MacLeod entered the literary world. By letting the poet’s own words lead the narrative, the book offers a vivid sense of his inner conflict and the gentle support that surrounded him, inviting listeners to hear the voice of a man whose dual imagination reshaped his work.