The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas

1. The Genesis of a Genius Partnership

I may say that only three times in my life have I met a genius and each time a bell within me rang and I was not mistaken, and I may say in each case it was before there was any general recognition of the quality of genius in them.

A fateful encounter. Alice B. Toklas, born in San Francisco, led a "gently bred existence" until the 1906 earthquake and fire prompted a profound change. Inspired by stories of Paris from Gertrude Stein's sister-in-law, Alice decided to leave California. Within a year, she arrived in Paris, where she was introduced to Gertrude Stein, marking the beginning of a lifelong partnership.

Immediate recognition. Upon meeting Gertrude Stein, Alice experienced an immediate, almost visceral recognition of genius, a sensation she had only felt twice before with Pablo Picasso and Alfred Whitehead. This profound connection was established before any widespread public acknowledgment of Stein's brilliance. Alice was particularly struck by Gertrude's coral brooch and her voice, sensing an extraordinary presence.

A new full life. This meeting in 1907 ushered in a "new full life" for Alice. She quickly became indispensable to Gertrude, assisting with the proofs of "Three Lives" and later typing the monumental "The Making of Americans." Her role evolved from companion to dedicated collaborator, enabling Gertrude Stein's prolific literary output and managing the practicalities of their shared life.

2. 27 rue de Fleurus: The Crucible of Modern Art

It was the moment Max Jacob has since called the heroic age of cubism.

The legendary atelier. Gertrude Stein's home at 27 rue de Fleurus, particularly its large atelier, became the unofficial salon of the Parisian avant-garde. This space, initially filled with a bewildering array of modern art—Cézannes, Matisses, Picassos—served as a gathering point for artists, writers, and intellectuals from across Europe and America.

Saturday evenings. These weekly gatherings were a vibrant mix of personalities, from Hungarian painters and German students to American expatriates. Guests would arrive, often confused by the art, but drawn by the intellectual ferment. Gertrude Stein, seated by the stove, would engage in conversations, while Alice observed and interacted with the wives of the geniuses.

A unique household. The household was managed by Hélène, the French maid, whose strong opinions and frugal nature added to the unique atmosphere. She famously disliked Matisse and had her own ways of showing it. The salon was a place where:

• Picasso, Matisse, Derain, and Braque debated and showcased their revolutionary work.
• Writers like Guillaume Apollinaire and Max Jacob mingled.
• New ideas in art and literature were forged and discussed.
  This period was indeed the "heroic age of cubism," a time of intense creativity and transformation.

3. Gertrude Stein's Formative Years

Keep your mind open, he used to say, and when some one objected, but Professor James, this that I say, is true. Yes, said James, it is abjectly true.

An unconventional upbringing. Gertrude Stein was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, but spent her youth in California, developing a lifelong love for reading and the English language. She had a "horror of what she calls intellectual people" and was grateful not to be born into an intellectual family, preferring to engage with the world on her own terms.

Radcliffe and William James. Her academic journey began at Radcliffe, where she thrived in an intellectually stimulating environment. The most significant influence was William James, whose teaching style and emphasis on an open mind profoundly shaped her. She participated in psychological experiments on automatic writing, an early precursor to her later literary methods.

Johns Hopkins and a pivotal decision. Following James's advice, she entered Johns Hopkins Medical School. While she excelled in the initial laboratory work, the practical and theoretical aspects of medicine bored her. Despite her professors' recognition of her scientific talent, she deliberately failed her final exams, declaring, "you don't know what it is to be bored." This decision freed her to pursue her true calling: writing.

4. Pioneering Modernism: Stein's Literary Evolution

In looking and looking at this picture Gertrude Stein wrote Three Lives.

Art inspiring literature. Gertrude Stein's literary journey began in Paris, deeply influenced by the art she collected. Her first major work, "Three Lives," was written under the direct stimulus of a Cézanne portrait she and her brother acquired. This marked her "first definite step away from the nineteenth century and into the twentieth century in literature."

The monumental "Making of Americans." Following "Three Lives," she embarked on "The Making of Americans," a thousand-page exploration of human nature and family history. This period saw the development of her distinctive long, repetitive sentences, a style she meticulously crafted, often working through the night to capture the exact rhythm and meaning.

Experiments in language. Her later works, such as "Tender Buttons," pushed the boundaries of language further, describing objects and rooms with a focus on "mixing the outside with the inside." She experimented with word invention but ultimately committed to the English language as her medium, seeking to achieve "exactitude in the description of inner and outer reality" by destroying "associational emotion."

5. The Intertwined Lives of Parisian Avant-Garde

Matisse and Picasso then being introduced to each other by Gertrude Stein and her brother became friends but they were enemies. Now they are neither friends nor enemies. At that time they were both.

A complex dynamic. The relationship between Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, facilitated by Gertrude Stein and her brother, was a central axis of the Parisian art world. Initially, they were both friends and rivals, exchanging paintings and influencing each other's work, particularly after Matisse introduced Picasso to African sculpture.

The birth of Cubism. Picasso's Spanish landscapes, painted after a trip to Spain, marked the true beginning of Cubism, emphasizing the geometric forms of Spanish villages. This revolutionary style, later joined by Braque and Juan Gris, was seen by Stein as a "purely Spanish conception," rooted in abstraction and ritual. Picasso himself recognized the connection between his art and camouflage during WWI, exclaiming, "C'est nous qui avons fait ça."

A wider circle. The Stein salon fostered a vibrant community beyond Picasso and Matisse. Figures like Guillaume Apollinaire, André Salmon, and Marie Laurencin were integral to this scene. Their interactions, debates, and personal dramas—such as Picasso's separation from Fernande and his relationship with Eve—were woven into the fabric of this "heroic age," shaping the trajectory of modern art.

6. Wartime Service and Unconventional Resilience

The important thing, she insists, is that you must have deep down as the deepest thing in you a sense of equality. Then anybody will do anything for you.

War's unexpected turn. The outbreak of World War I caught many Americans in Europe by surprise. Gertrude Stein and Alice, initially stranded in England, eventually returned to a changed Paris. Rather than retreating, they decided to "get into the war," acquiring a Ford car they affectionately named "Auntie."

Driving for the American Fund. Gertrude Stein, despite never having driven before, quickly learned to operate the car, transporting supplies and visiting hospitals for the American Fund for French Wounded. Alice, the official delegate, handled the bureaucratic challenges, while Gertrude, the driver, refused to engage with officials directly.

A democratic spirit. Gertrude's unique ability to get people to help her, from soldiers to chauffeurs, stemmed from her "sense of equality." She believed that if one genuinely saw everyone as equal and knew what needed to be done, people would naturally assist. Their wartime experiences, including picking up "military god-sons" and navigating a devastated France, showcased their resilience and unconventional approach to life.

7. Post-War Paris: Shifting Landscapes and New Voices

The old crowd had disappeared. Matisse was now permanently in Nice and in any case although Gertrude Stein and he were perfectly good friends when they met, they practically never met. This was the time when Gertrude Stein and Picasso were not seeing each other.

A new era. The end of World War I brought a dramatically altered Paris. The close-knit pre-war artistic community fragmented; Matisse moved to Nice, and Gertrude Stein and Picasso experienced a period of estrangement. New literary and artistic figures emerged, including Tristan Tzara, Sherwood Anderson, and Ernest Hemingway, who sought out Stein's guidance.

Literary recognition and challenges. The publication of "Tender Buttons" and "The Making of Americans" brought both ridicule and serious critical attention. While newspapers often mocked her work, they also quoted it, correctly, much to Stein's amusement. Sherwood Anderson's enthusiastic endorsement and Hemingway's efforts to get "The Making of Americans" serialized in The Transatlantic Review were crucial early validations.

Lectures and growing influence. Despite initial reluctance, Gertrude Stein began lecturing at Oxford and Cambridge in 1926, where her "Composition As Explanation" was met with both bewilderment and profound admiration. These lectures marked a turning point, bringing her wider recognition and solidifying her position as a significant literary figure, even as she continued to challenge conventional norms.

8. The Enduring Philosophy of Gertrude Stein

She always says that she only has two real distractions, pictures and automobiles. Perhaps she might now add dogs.

A unique artistic vision. Gertrude Stein's philosophy of writing centered on "exactitude" and the "destruction of associational emotion." She believed that art should be an "exact reproduction of either an outer or an inner reality," devoid of conventional beauty or sentimentality. This intellectual rigor led to comparisons with mathematicians and Bach.

American abstraction. She held strong views on American identity, describing Americans as "abstract and cruel," capable of realizing abstraction in a way Europeans could not. She saw this reflected in American literature and machinery, contrasting it with Spain's ritualistic abstraction. For Stein, America, having pioneered the 20th century, was now the "oldest country in the world."

Personal passions and insights. Beyond her intellectual pursuits, Gertrude Stein had distinct personal passions:

• Objects: She loved "breakable, cheap objects and valuable objects," accepting their eventual breakage with equanimity.
• Boredom: Her aversion to boredom was a driving force, leading her to abandon medical school and constantly seek new forms of expression.
• Métier: She believed one could only have one "métier" (craft) and one language, hers being writing and English.
  Her life was a testament to her conviction that "one should only contemplate results" in things that amuse you, while dedicating oneself fully to one's primary occupation.