Adventures in the Skin Trade [Paperback]

Dylan Thomas (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The reputation of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) as one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century has not waned in the fifty years since his death. His work, noted for its lush metaphors, musicality, and playfulness within traditional forms, was largely responsible for modernizing poetic verse. Thomas also wrote captivating short stories, a novella, several screenplays and radio plays, as well as his delightful stage play, Under Milk Wood—all infused with his passion for the English language and his enduring love of Wales.

Product Details

• Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: New Directions (January 17, 1969)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081120202X
• ISBN-13: 978-0811202022
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #220,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars leaving your hometown as an inner adventure, July 27, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Zurich, Switzerland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adventures in the Skin Trade (Paperback)

A fine beginning: The main character of this never completed novel, due to the early death of Dylan Thomas, is Samuel Bennet. He grows up in a small town and feels very bored in this area. So, when he's twenty, he decides to go to London, where he expects to find life more interesting. This is how the story starts and the reader is probably curious to learn more of all the detailed adventures a young man can get into. But what Thomas describes is not only what Samuel encounters, he also gives a unique example of what a person may feel and think like in such a situation. With this topic, Thomas has to stand a comparism with authors like Joyce (A portrait of an artist as young man) or Wilde (The picture of Dorian Gray)and he does it quite well. To lead the reader into Samuel's world he clinks out from reality and tells some passages in a very surrealistic way. Not only this is a proof of quality, but Thomas builds up a unity to the outer world with some accurate themes wh! ich he positions with an twinkle in the eye in the story. If one thinks of the importance of the topics he develops during the story, there is hard to find a comparable piece in world literature, which is written in such a structured an allthough amusing way. The major topics are for example: Leaving home and going to the big town, getting rid of your childhood's place and planning your own future; to position oneself in the social classes; and how to manage with problems of your own childhood and where it may end when you just escape from them. In the whole I would say this is a book which has never got the reputation it may deserves, but the author has probably had too much success with other pieces within his lifetime, that this book has been a little out of the spotlight.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars passivity?, February 26, 2001

By 

P. Barrett (Dallas, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Adventures in the Skin Trade (Paperback)

A wonderful piece of writing. Samual Bennett, the main character, is a young man who attempts to let his life's course be dictated only by external influences. His move to London is preceded by the destruction of his parent's precious mementoes, thereby ensuring that he can never return home. The book, cut short by the death of Thomas, follows the youth on his adventure in passivity with sparkling prose and incredible characters. Unfortunately we can only speculate on the final outcome.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Dylan Thomas prose !, October 23, 2011

By 

Pick This Book ! (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adventures in the Skin Trade (Paperback)

This amazing story written by Dylan Thomas was adapted for the stage first in London and later in New York. New Directions published the transcripts adaptation in 1968: Adventures in The Skin Trade, An adaptation for the stage, written by Andrew Sinclair, with notes on the London Production by James Roose-Evans...