Drawing on the published letters and diaries of Wordsworth and his sister, Dorothy, and of their contempories Coleridge and Southey, this full-length biography of the poet's life and times also draws on the author's own knowledge of the Lake District, which formed so strong a part in Wordsworth's life as to be almost another character. Hunter Davies discusses Wordsworth's much-debated relationship with his sister, Dorothy; tells the story of his affair with Annette Vallon, the French girl who was the mother of his child; and describes in detail William's life with his wife, Mary, concluding, perhaps controversially, that he fill in love with her only after ten years of marriage. The book portrays family life at Grasmere and Rydal, Wordsworth's political activities, the formative meeting with Coleridge in the West Country, and his other travels.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction to Wordsworth, 11 Jun 2004

By	Simon Barr - See all my reviews

This review is from: William Wordsworth: A Biography (Hardcover)

This is a fascinating read about the life on one of Britain's most complex literary characters. It's merits are two fold.

For anyone out there wanting to know more about the life of Wordsworth - start with this book. As Davies says in his introduction - there are 100's of books out there on detailed parts of Wordsworth's life but here in 350 pages we have a clever overview of all of Wordsworth's 80 years. It should be compulsory for all figures of note to have an easy to read biography such as this which can act as a springboard to the reading of more detailed tomes in the future.

Secondly Davies writes with genuine affection and enthusiasm that adds to the overall enjoyment of the read. Good stuff!

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hunter Davies at his best., 31 Jan 2009

By	Terry Beckwith - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: William Wordsworth: A Biography (Hardcover)

This is Wordsworth at a gallop, but Hunter Davies knows how to spin out a good story and in this book, he hits the mark with every chapter.

There are lots of specialist books that deal profoundly with Wordsworth's poetry and obviously they have their place on a more academic level, but they can be a little over the head of the general reader.

To start with, Hunter Davies is a man that lives in and loves the Lake District. So when he is writing about the Lake Poets, he has a head start, and given that Wordsworth's life, apart from a short period travelling, was spent living and working in the Lakes, this then gives Mr Davies a clear line of thought on how to approach Wordsworth's life.

Wordsworth and the Lakes are synonymous, and this is exactly what Hunter Davies gives you, the life story of one of England's greatest poets living amongst some of the most stunning scenery in Britain.

Yes, Juliet Barker has written what has become the definitive biography, but at nearly 1,000 pages, can be a little overwhelming for the average reader. What you get with Hunter Davies is 350 pages of exciting reading, which will give the reader just enough of a taste for a more in-depth study of Wordsworth should it be required. Certainly a good starter book for getting to know Wordsworth and the Lakes.

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