- Paperback: 314 pages
- Publisher: Vintage Books USA; Reissue edition (Dec 1989)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0679724834
- ISBN-13: 978-0679724834
- Product Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,735,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
This edition presents the original versions of many poems, which Auden revised to conform to his evolving political and literary attitudes later in his career. In this volume, Edward Mendelson has restored the early versions of some thirty poems generally considered to be superior to the later versions, allowing the reader to see the entire range of Auden's work. Selected and edited by Edward Mendelson
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When this selection was first published in 1979, just 6 years after Auden's death, people still divided his career into the "English Auden" (up to 1939) and the "American Auden" (post 1939). Controversy still raged over Auden's own selection of his poems which eliminated and disowned many of the essential early works - something this selection sought to redress. Those controversies are long dead, I think, but they served a purpose in giving us this excellent selection with an illuminating introduction from Edward Mendelson, whose first sentence- "Auden was the first poet writing in English who felt at home in the twentieth century", already provides a great insight. Exactly 100 poems have been chosen which fills over 300 pages, very generous for a "selected" poems. The poems Auden rejected such as "Spain" and "September 1, 1939" are restored and are absolutely central to understanding his oeuvre. Longer sequences such as "In Time of War", "The Quest" and "The Sea and the Mirror" are presented in their entirety along with the familiar major lyrics such as "Lay your sleeping head, my love", "As I walked out one evening", "Musee des beaux arts" and perhaps his greatest single poem "In praise of Limestone" right up to his final published poem in 1973. You can tell this selection was made before "Four weddings and a funeral" as there is no "Funeral Blues" or "Tell me the truth about love"! Which in itself might indicate the richness in Auden's work. So, this collection is maybe not for the casual reader who only wants the 5 or 6 really famous poems, but for the person who wants to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the full range of Auden's work. He is not always easy to understand, but sometimes great poetry isn't easy - nevertheless, it can still be enjoyed. As a teacher of mine once put it "Appreciation precedes understanding" and I have found this to be true often and especially so with Auden.
38 of 45 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I came to this book after a friend sent me a poem of his in an email.
This is simply an excelent collection of poetry, sometimes crystal clear and at other times it yields nothing so easy to distinguish as 'meaning'.
Auden can evoke a day's thought from a single sentence and give a new perspective to an old event (take the lunar landing for example).
His scope and range are truly impressive covering ancient times (Orpheus) right up to the (relative) modern day (he died in the late 70's I think).
This book is highly recommended.
This is simply an excelent collection of poetry, sometimes crystal clear and at other times it yields nothing so easy to distinguish as 'meaning'.
Auden can evoke a day's thought from a single sentence and give a new perspective to an old event (take the lunar landing for example).
His scope and range are truly impressive covering ancient times (Orpheus) right up to the (relative) modern day (he died in the late 70's I think).
This book is highly recommended.
4 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Auden is an amazing poet. He deals with issues that are relevant today, and though his poems are for the most part abstract, the deeper meanings and themes throughout the body of his work are interesting, thought-provoking and, most importantly, expertly written. Auden's language is brilliant.
Gotta b my favourite poet. I'm only 18, doin my A levels, but cmon, Auden for the win.
Gotta b my favourite poet. I'm only 18, doin my A levels, but cmon, Auden for the win.
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