Elizabeth Bishop dedicated her poetry to telling what really happened, yet, often characterized as reticent in both her person and her work, Bishop fought hard to conceal the details of her own frequently harrowing life. In the first full biography of the poet, Brett Millier pieces together the compelling and painful story of Bishop's life and traces the writing of her poems. Millier consulted all available archival materials as well as additional letters and documents and interviewed many of Bishop's friends, students and colleagues. She sheds light on each major poem, weaving the poetry and the life together.