A Shropshire Lad was first published, at Housman's own expense, in 1896 after several publishers had turned it down. At first the book sold slowly, but during the Second Boer War, Housman's nostalgic depiction of rural life, the book became a bestseller The main theme of ""A Shropshire Lad"" is mortality, and advice about how we live our lives since death can come in anytime.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
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Housman's Words of Life and Death - Still Meaningful Today,
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This review is from: A Shropshire Lad (Paperback)
Without presuming to get too analytical of the poetry itself in this wonderful work by A.E. Housman-as I am not a poet myself- I will say as a lover of poetry, that I thoroughly enjoy "A Shropshire Lad". It's poetry that may be read many times over, with something new to be found with each reading.
Although Housman's words at times may seem a bit like the antidote to exhilaration, he seems to speak from the heart and wisely about the cycle of life. The never ending scheme of things. The seasons and the earth changing year by year. Young men falling in love, going off to war, coming home wounded, dead, or finding their loves no longer want them. It brings to mind for me, the song by Peter, Paul and Mary "Where Have All The Flowers Gone". Although these words were first published well over 100 years ago, I found there is still meaning in his words.Many of the lines in this book I found to still be quoted today. For example in poem LVI-"The Day of Battle", he ponders this: "Comrade, if to turn and fly Made a soldier never die, Fly I would, for who would not? Tis sure no pleasure to be shot But since the man that runs away Lives to die another day, And cowards' funerals, when they come, Are not wept so well at home,..." There are sixty-three original poems of "A Shropshire Lad" in all, including XIX-"To An Athlete Dying Young"(which you've heard read by Meryl Streep in the funeral scene of the film "Out of Africa"). A beautiful gift for the poetry lover, or to read aloud by the fireplace. Dover Thrift has a nice little edition as well - A Shropshire Lad (Dover Thrift Editions)...enjoy....Laurie also recommended: Edgar Allan Poe Reader (Courage Classics) The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Other Poems
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