Early Auden [Paperback]

Edward Mendelson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0374526958 | ISBN-13: 978-0374526955 | Publication Date: May 22, 2000 | Edition: 1st

Early Auden remains the most penetrating, detailed, and informative examination we have of the great work produced by the young W. H. Auden in England before the war. Edward Mendelson writes with unrivaled knowledge of published texts, manuscripts, private papers, and essays in this most illuminating of critical works.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[An] astonishing critical study . . . an absorbing life of the poet's mind up to about 1942 . . . exciting and provocative."--Walter Clemons, Newsweek

About the Author

Edward Melson, born in 1946, is professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University. He lives with his wife and son in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1st edition (May 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374526958
• ISBN-13: 978-0374526955
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #809,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading / Really Good Value /, January 25, 2009

By 

M. Hurley (KSA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Early Auden (Paperback)

This is the first of two books by the same author (see Later Auden)and I'd recommend buying them together as they are terrific accounts which tell Auden's story (mostly) in terms of his poetry. (John Fuller's commentary (on the poetry) augments these very well).(H. Carpenter for the best intro bio.)

Why I liked these books is that they don't expose a bias regarding Auden's life (Auden tends/ed to divide critics) and the poetry (always the first casualty) isn't neglected. There's too much of value in these books to try and paraphrase them but rest assured they will not disappoint. As usual though, the whole controversy over the attitude of certain critics (Jarrell/Leavis/Eagleton) is passed over. Still, really useful. I'd say the same for the Collected Prose, the Dyer's Hand, Forewords & Afterwords. Hendon is a bit spotty but maybe useful (and affordable) for undergrads, while the Sea & The Mirror is rather specialised (Art & Christianity), maybe to be tackled later.

Early and Late Auden are not so much 'academic' works as they are real portraits by someone close to the work, the writer and his times, so there isn't that distance you sometimes feel where authors set out "to do Auden". Great value. Will not disappoint.