Alice B. Toklas

Alice B. Toklas
Carl Van Vechten · Public domain · source
Name	Alice B. Toklas
Birth date	April 30, 1877
Birth place	San Francisco, California
Death date	March 7, 1967
Death place	Paris, France
Occupation	Author, editor

Alice B. Toklas was an American-born French Resistance member and author, best known for her relationship with Gertrude Stein, a renowned American novelist, poet, and playwright, as well as her own literary works, including The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook. Born in San Francisco, California, Toklas spent most of her life in Paris, France, where she befriended notable figures such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Ernest Hemingway. Her life was deeply intertwined with the city's vibrant Lost Generation, a group of American and British expatriate writers, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, T.S. Eliot, and Ezra Pound.

● Early Life and Education

Alice B. Toklas was born on April 30, 1877, in San Francisco, California, to a family of Polish Jewish descent. She attended Washington Irving High School in New York City and later studied music at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In 1907, Toklas traveled to Paris, France, where she met Gertrude Stein at a salon hosted by Michael Stein and Sarah Stein. This encounter marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship between Toklas and Stein, who would become her partner and collaborator. Toklas's early life was also influenced by her friendships with Mabel Dodge Luhan, a prominent American patron of the arts, and Bryher, a British writer and feminist.

● Career

Toklas's career as an author and editor was deeply intertwined with her relationship with Gertrude Stein. She served as Stein's secretary, editor, and confidante, helping to shape Stein's literary style and promote her work. Toklas also played a crucial role in the development of Stein's modernist masterpiece, Tender Buttons. In addition to her work with Stein, Toklas was a member of the French Resistance during World War II, working closely with Varian Fry, an American journalist and humanitarian, to help rescue Jewish refugees and anti-Nazi activists. Toklas's own writing career began to flourish in the 1950s, with the publication of her memoir, The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook, which featured recipes and anecdotes from her life in Paris, France, and included references to her friendships with Colette, Jean Cocteau, and Djuna Barnes.

● Personal Life

Toklas's personal life was marked by her long-term relationship with Gertrude Stein, which lasted from 1907 until Stein's death in 1946. The couple's Parisian salon became a hub for modernist writers and artists, including James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and Man Ray. Toklas was also known for her close friendships with Guillaume Apollinaire, a French poet and art critic, and Marie Laurencin, a French painter and printmaker. After Stein's death, Toklas continued to live in Paris, France, where she remained a prominent figure in the city's literary scene, befriending writers such as Samuel Beckett, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir.

● Literary Contributions

Toklas's literary contributions are significant, both as an author and as a collaborator with Gertrude Stein. Her memoir, The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook, is a classic of American literature, offering a unique glimpse into the lives of expatriate writers and artists in Paris, France. Toklas's writing style, which blended elements of memoir, cookbook, and literary criticism, has been praised for its wit, charm, and insight into the modernist movement. Her work has been compared to that of Dorothy Parker, Rebecca West, and Nancy Mitford, all of whom were known for their literary essays and memoirs. Toklas's literary legacy also extends to her role as a patron of the arts, supporting writers such as Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and William S. Burroughs.

● Legacy

Alice B. Toklas's legacy is complex and multifaceted, reflecting her contributions to American literature, French culture, and the LGBTQ+ community. Her relationship with Gertrude Stein has been the subject of numerous biographies, novels, and films, including The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas and Midnight in Paris. Toklas's own writing has been recognized for its unique blend of humor, insight, and literary criticism, and she remains a celebrated figure in the Parisian literary scene. Her friendships with Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Ernest Hemingway have also been the subject of numerous art exhibitions and literary festivals, cementing her place in the history of modern art and literature. Today, Toklas is remembered as a pioneering figure in the LGBTQ+ community, a talented writer, and a devoted partner to one of the most important writers of the 20th century. Category:American writers