THE LONDON BOYS | DAVID BOWIE, MARC BOLAN & THE 60s TEENAGE DREAM

 

TITLE - THE LONDON BOYS | DAVID BOWIE, MARC BOLAN & THE 60s TEENAGE DREAM

WRITTEN BY - MARC BURROWS

GENRE - '60s BRITISH MUSIC/BIOGRAPHY

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD 

PUBLICATION DATE - 30TH OCTOBER 2022

“The London Boys” is a penetratingly thorough history of the deep but often turbulent friendship/rivalry between the nascent rock stars David Bowie and Marc Bolan, from their early years to their eventual first flush of fame. The introduction sets the scene with a depiction of the historic yet chaotic reconciliation of Bowie and Bolan on the latter’s TV show “Marc”, mere days before his death. The book evokes the shattered post-WWII London landscape that both Bolan and Bowie grew up in through vivid descriptions, and explores how the city and its rapid cultural development in the ‘60s shaped their future careers. 

On the whole, “The London Boys” is a very detailed and workmanlike biography of both legends, but also a deep and intoxicating (it may even be eye-opening to a millennial reader) social history of Britain and its cultural heritage and development, hugely influenced by American music. There are also some very entertaining footnotes in which many myths are busted. Special mention must be given to chapter nineteen which has a unique structure that got made this old Bowie fan giddily excited, but you’ll have to read it yourself to find out why. 

A dense, deep book but immensely scholarly and readable, with an uplifting ending (really, “the beginning”) “The London Boys” is an original, fabulous and moving, even slightly irreverent, addition to the written history of both artists, both of whom burst from the page so vividly that we get to know them better than ever.

BUY FROM PEN & SWORD

BUY FROM AMAZON

HAROLD WILSON | THE WINNER

TITLE - HAROLD WILSON | THE WINNER

WRITTEN BY - NICK THOMAS-SYMONDS

GENRE - POLITICS/BIOGRAPHY/BRITISH HISTORY

PUBLISHED BY - W&N

PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW 

I’ve always been fascinated by this period of Britain’s political history as it was a little before my time, even as a child of the ‘70s. At such a young age I had no concept of politics and the shenanigans going on in the country (but I knew Harold Wilson smoked a pipe). So, when I heard about Nick Thomas-Symonds’ book I saw an opportunity to fill the gaps in my knowledge. However, I should add that due to my being unfamiliar with the political history of the time, I am not in a position to comment on the author’s conclusions about Wilson’s policies etc. I am simply reviewing the book on its merits as a biography.

Symonds has had unprecedented access to Harold Wilson’s handwritten notes, letters and various other papers which have been hitherto unavailable, which have enabled him to perform a timely reevaluation of one of the most progressive Prime Ministers the United Kingdom has ever had, dealing with issues that will resonate today - membership of the EEC, women’s rights, British involvement in conflicts overseas etc.

An academic youngster with an exemplary record of scholastic achievement, with an unwavering childhood dream to go into politics and become Prime Minister, (a prescient photo shows the young Harold outside No. 10 Downing Street) Wilson leads an almost charmed life to get to the position he is best remembered for. He was, it seems, always the “winner” of the book’s title. Even the seemingly spontaneous quips and retorts in the Commons that he became famous for were the result of determined hard work and practice, having been accused of giving stuffy and boring speeches.

Symonds recounts Wilson’s political career in riveting detail, and whilst the political jargon can get complex at times, he has an accessible style that shouldn’t put off the casual reader without a grounding in politics. Much more fluid and easier to read than I expected, but not lightweight by any means, “The Winner” is an enjoyable and informative book, but not without its faults. I frequently got the impression that the author believes Wilson could do no wrong and that any failures or shortcomings in the Wilson government were the fault of other people. At times the book borders on hagiography. The reader is left in no doubt that NT-S is a big fan, even taking into account the fact he is a Labour MP, and I think it will be a matter of personal opinion whether this impresses or grates.

Overall, NT-S does a thorough job of reassessing Harold Wilson for a new generation and giving him his due credit for the enduring societal changes he brought about; he also humanises and rediscovers Wilson for those born too late to see him in action. This was truly a different time: today it generally follows that if you lose an election, you lose the leadership, but back then it was normal for the same person to remain leader even after a defeat. If nothing else, Symonds’ book proves that, with the current Labour Party now an inept shadow of the party Harold Wilson so successfully led, we will probably never see his like again.

BUY IT FROM AMAZON

FURY OF PAST TIME | A LIFE OF GWYN THOMAS

TITLE - FURY OF PAST TIME | A LIFE OF GWYN THOMAS

WRITTEN BY - DARYL LEEWORTHY 

GENRE - WELSH WRITERS/ BIOGRAPHY 

PUBLISHED BY - PARTHIAN BOOKS 

PUBLICATION DATE - OCTOBER 2022 

Gwyn Thomas once admitted that whilst his novels were full of the love of people, they were not full of the love of life, an effect of the nihilistic worldview inherited from his mother. It was this cynicism, albeit with a strain of dark humour running through it, that coloured his life as a coruscating writer and celebrated raconteur. 

In the most in-depth biography of Gwyn Thomas yet published, Daryl Leeworthy makes use of letters and documents, many published for the first time, to deliver an unprecedented portrait of a complex and often contradictory man. Fiercely political (at least in his heart) with communist leanings, Gwyn Thomas was an angry young man who experienced the “split-personality” due to the dwindling use of the Welsh language in his hometown and own home, in a sense growing up as both Welsh and English.

Affected at a young age by the early death of his mother which gave Thomas a cynical, often bleak worldview which informed his written work. Ill-health, both physical and mental, and the widespread unemployment and decline of his native South Wales also marked his writing. But the humour that would see him become a popular mainstay of ‘70s television never wavered. He drifted through a multitude of jobs, most of which drove him to various kinds of utter despair, before settling into married life and teaching in Barry.

Thomas’ skilful and lyrical way with words bursts from the page thanks to the many, sometimes lengthy, quotes from Gwyn’s letters and books, and his voice is clear and resonant throughout. There is also a wealth of welcome information about the many foreign editions of Gwyn’s novels, and his vast influence in Europe and the USA in general, although he was banned in Ireland. The longest chapter in the book is devoted to Thomas’ famed television and radio appearances, the media in which he made his biggest and best remembered impact. There is also deep insight into his mostly successful yet chequered life as a playwright. 

Part biography and part savage, excoriating political and social history of South Wales and the wider world in the mid-20th century, Daryl Leeworthy makes a bold attempt at capturing Gwyn Thomas the man, but, through no fault of the author, he remains somewhat elusive. Nevertheless, this is an excellent and readable book, and as thorough a biography of the towering man of Welsh letters as we’re ever likely to get.

BUY FROM PARTHIAN BOOKS

BLOG TOUR - THE FALL OF ROMAN BRITAIN AND WHY WE SPEAK ENGLISH

 

TITLE - THE FALL OF ROMAN BRITAIN AND WHY WE SPEAK ENGLISH 

WRITTEN BY - JOHN LAMBSHEAD 

GENRE - ROMAN BRITAIN/EUROPE IN THE THIRD & FOURTH CENTURIES 

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD BOOKS 

PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW 

In “The Fall of Roman Britain and Why We Speak English”, prolific author, tabletop wargaming buff and designer of the “Fourth Protocol” computer game (I fondly remember playing it!), John Lambshead, explores the end of the Roman Empire in Britain and the circumstances that led to its inhabitants speaking what would become the language we know today as English. This is a thorough and enlightening history of the “bit in between” the end of the Romans and the beginning of Britain.

In many ways an historical detective story, John Lambshead undertakes a forensic study using geological, archaeological, climatological and biological evidence to uncover the causes of Roman collapse and the origins of the British people. At the end of each themed chapter, he draws convincing conclusions from the evidence. The chapter dedicated to “Londinium” supplies a wealth of knowledge about the Roman origins and purpose of the city that would become London. Also, Lambshead writes powerfully well about the domino effect of climate change and leadership battles leading to the devastating crisis of the third century.

The story is tied up in a convincing narrative at the end of the book, along with a bibliography and a timeline of events, using the dates generally accepted to be correct. John Lambshead, like all the best historians, has a command of his subject so, whilst complex in parts, his book is rigorously researched, always engrossing and easy to read.

BUY FROM PEN & SWORD

BUY FROM AMAZON

BLOG TOUR - ROMAN BRITAIN'S PIRATE KING

TITLE - ROMAN BRITAIN'S PIRATE KING | CARAUSIUS, CONSTANTIUS CHLORUS AND THE FOURTH ROMAN INVASION OF BRITAIN 

WRITTEN BY - SIMON ELLIOTT 

GENRE - ROMAN HISTORY IN BRITAIN 

PUBLISHED BY - PEN & SWORD BOOKS

PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW 

Very much a story of the Roman Empire in transition, and a complex one at that, Simon Elliott’s “Roman Britain’s Pirate King” tells a convoluted yet riveting story worthy of a film plot, which eventually culminates in the fourth Roman invasion and occupation of Britain.

Elliott begins by setting the scene with a timeline of the various Roman dynasties that led up to the “Crisis of the 3rd Century” and the shift from Principiate to Dominate and the appointment of Diocletian as Emperor. The author is an expert on the often complex structure of Roman rule, and this is a bonus as we are taken on a whistle-stop tour of the many Roman emperors throughout this volatile period. He then goes on to explore the transitional period of the Roman military and navy, with a wealth of detail about their command structure, equipment, weapons and daily life. In the third chapter, Elliott examines how these changes affected Roman Britain, exploring the lasting legacies of the key players, including the very first Mint in Britain.

The ‘’meat” of the book recounts the turbulent rise and dramatic fall of Carausius and his establishment of a separate empire in Gaul and Britain in the 3rd century AD. The story of his downfall at the hands of Constantius Chlorus, who would then meet his own fate courtesy of Allectus after many twists of fate, wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of “Game of Thrones”. There is a lot of interesting detail about Britain, and especially the early occupation and layout of London, in this era.

Numismatics, the study of coins, has played an important role in the accurate sourcing of data for this period of history, and Elliott has devoted a whole chapter to it. There are also several colour photographs of coins in the colour plates section. Coins were a simple yet effective way for Roman leaders to cement their claims to power: one such object, the Arras medallion minted by Chlorus features the first ever visual representation of London. Conversely, reliable original written material is scarce, however Elliott makes skilful use of modern research. The book includes a beautiful colour plate section displaying Pen & Sword’s usual quality photo reproduction, featuring coins, replicas of ships, model soldiers in accurate dress and ancient sites. There is also an index and bibliography.

As Simon Elliott states in his introduction, the subject of his latest book is admittedly complex, and so he has structured it in such a way as to provide the reader with all the necessary background information before he tells the story itself. As I’ve come to expect from Elliott’s work the story is absorbing and fascinating; he has such a masterly command of history that I never felt lost in this book; it is a mix of forensic detail, deep analysis and intelligent conclusions. Just like his previous, iconoclastic book “Alexander the Great versus Julius Caesar” (see my review of this book here), “Roman Britain’s Pirate King” is a concise, absorbing and thoroughly researched triumph that shines a light on a little-known period of history and the people who created it. 

BUY IT FROM PEN & SWORD

BUY IT FROM AMAZON

BLOG TOUR - EQUINOX

TITLE - EQUINOX

WRITTEN BY - DAVID TOWSEY 

GENRE - FANTASY/FICTION

PUBLISHED BY - HEAD OF ZEUS/AD ASTRA 

PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW 

A gorgeous monochrome cover with a touch of gold, vividly depicting the contrasting night/day theme of the story, holds a breathtakingly original story about witchcraft, war and magic. In the magical land of Reikova, two souls inhabit each body, each “person” existing only by day or night exclusively; a night-brother has a day-brother, each night-sister, a day-sister, and vice versa.

In the city of Esteberg in the 18th century, Christophor and his day-brother Alexsander are two people in the same body; the former lives at night, the latter by day. Christophor, a Special Inspector, is called to a grisly act of self-mutilation at the local prison in his city of Esteberg and forced to investigate against his wishes. This leads him to the mysterious neighbouring town of Drekenford where untold horrors await him.

In two parts, the first deals with events from Christophor’s point of view and the second from Alexsander’s. (Trigger warning - This latter section begins with a detailed description of the violent death of a horse, following on from the end of the previous part). Alexsander is a totally different person to his night-brother with whom we have spent the majority of the book so far; thanks to Towsey’s excellent characterisation, this shift in perspective adds a whole new dimension to the tale. The position of Special Inspector is very much like a witch-hunter or demonologist, and Christophor has a reputation of being cold and ruthless while Alexsander is a pleasure-loving musician.

The concept of two people sharing the same body is original and quite mind blowing. People chew a drug called “ettiene” to ease the transition between their night and day selves. A small degree of communication is possible between the two selves that doesn’t need to involve the more direct act of leaving notes. This is in fact a clever literary device enabling the narrative to continue outside of Christophor’s point of view when he is “asleep” and Alexsander is “awake”. Also, each separate section of the narrative is illustrated by a small sunrise or crescent moon.

When Christophor finds his investigation hampered by his day-brother, the story becomes as much about Christophor’s war with himself as it does the wider conflict. In fact my first reaction on learning that he would have to travel to another town was to wonder how that would work with Alexsander “in tow”. Proof that the concept is solid and that David Towsey an excellent writer to pull me in to the story like that.

“Equinox” (such a clever title-the time of year when the day and night are of equal length, and in this story of equal importance) can be read as a more magic-y “Name of the Rose”, with a pseudo-policeman on the trail of witchcraft and murder; there is also a library of restricted knowledge where dangerous books have to be kept in the dark. The world has the feel of a particularly dark fairytale; an Eastern European setting hinting at being part of our world but at the same time, subtly different.

The story is sexy, scary and deep with an apocalyptic ending, and the perfectly paced plot hooks you in without you even noticing. Towsey writes vividly and richly, creating a living, breathing world that drips with hidden menace. This is a magical world you will want to lose yourself in - I loved it!

BOOK DETAILS ON WEBSITE

BUY IT ON BOOKSHOP

BUY IT FROM AMAZON

A KIND OF LOVING

TITLE - A KIND OF LOVING 

WRITTEN BY - STAN BARSTOW 

GENRE - CONTEMPORARY FICTION 

PUBLISHED BY - PARTHIAN BOOKS 

PUBLICATION DATE - 10TH JUNE 2022 

A Kind Of Loving” was a “kitchen-sink drama” classic in its day, its reputation bolstered by the celebrated film starring Alan Bates. The novel returns in a brand new edition from Parthian Books - which is fitting because author Stan Barstow lived in South Wales in later life until his death - but does this slice of Northern life have any relevance today? 

It is, without doubt, somewhat dated, with characters and attitudes very much of their time; the language, for example, will surprise a modern reader, and it is not a novel that is likely to be a feminist “Book of the Month Club” pick - this is very much a book for men, with much talk of “bints” and other even less savoury epithets. Although Vic Brown is not a hero, or even an anti-hero; he’s just as flawed and human as any young man. 

Barstow makes Vic a likeable narrator despite his faults, and gives him some breathtakingly beautiful turns of phrase in his inner monologues which counterpoint the “bloke-iness” of the character. Vic’s rather awkward and fumbling pursuit of Ingrid is endearing, and there is a very funny section where Vic reads Molly Bloom’s soliloquy from “Ulysses” and can’t believe such sexual frankness is allowed in print. He is also a bit of a snob in his occasional scorn of certain Northern working-class traits; always restless and wanting something better. His treatment of Ingrid, (a character who is, by accident or design, not as well drawn as Vic, but she engenders sympathy from the reader) seems callous, and when he admits to himself that he doesn’t truly love her, it comes as a quite a shock. 

The story is timeless, but, more than anything, the novel, originally published in 1960, is a vivid snapshot of early ‘60s Britain, the North of England in particular. The politics and class divides of the time are prominent, especially in the factory where Vic works. Bus fares cost threepence, there are jobs for life, men work in coal-mines and go to the football on Saturdays, while their wives run the house. There is much talk of a “boom” in industry and business during the novel’s time period, and whether it can last. 

Stan Barstow was a very skilled and naturalistic writer, with a gift for observing the realities of life. The characters’ journey is one that virtually anybody can relate to. Ultimately, “A Kind of Loving” is an immensely readable, honest and captivating story from an era when you could have a red-blooded male as a hero without incurring a jail sentence, and the story itself can be enjoyed, with an open mind, on its own terms.

BUY FROM PARTHIAN BOOKS

BUY ON BOOKSHOP

BROOD X

TITLE - BROOD X

WRITTEN BY - JOSHUA DYSART [ILLUSTRATED BY M. K. PERKER]

GENRE - CRIME FICTION

PUBLISHED BY - TKO ROGUE 

PUBLICATION DATE - AVAILABLE NOW 

 

In ‘50s America, seven desperate men are tasked to build a bomb shelter in a remote forest clearing amidst a vast swarming of cicadas. As accidents and deaths occur, they start to suspect each other whilst nature itself becomes an increasing threat to them…

Wow! What an original and visceral thrill this book is! Set in the McCarthy era so communism is a shadowy presence, and so is the racism and anti-semitism endemic of that age; an allegory for the suspicion that brews in the construction site. There is a vivid passage that describes the cicadas emerging from the earth in a seething mass, a metaphor for the American fear of “Reds under the beds”. Soon the bugs are flying everywhere and singing in a deafening cacophony, their mating ritual driving the men mad in different, destructive ways. 

Author Joshua Dysart doesn’t have many pages in which to flesh out the characters, and he doesn’t need them either. Each character, their background, appearance and temperament, is vividly drawn. The pacing is spot on as the men go from nervous mutual tolerance to full-blown suspicion of each other - this is a headlong ride to oblivion, as profound as it is horrific. 

In many ways, “Brood X” is a “locked room mystery”, albeit a rather twisted one that Poirot couldn’t imagine in his worst nightmares. This is a short book, more of a novella than a full novel, and is better for it. Told in the present tense, it has a concise, direct power and I was sucked into the story very quickly thanks to Joshua Dysart’s exceptional writing. Gory in parts, Dysart’s descriptive skills are often too much to handle. Atmospheric b&w line drawings by M. K. Perker pepper the text, adding a haunting visual dimension to the story. The ending, just like everything that has happened in the story up to that point, is a tragic gutter-punch. 

“Brood X” is an unforgettable masterpiece; read it in one sitting, then read it again. Just read it.

IF I DIDN'T LOVE THE RIVER

TITLE - IF I DIDN'T LOVE THE RIVER 

WRITTEN BY - ROBERT PRIEST 

GENRE - POETRY 

PUBLISHED BY - ECW PRESS 

PUBLICATION DATE - 20TH SEPTEMBER 2022 

One of the poems in Robert Priest’s superb poetry collection “If I Didn’t Love The River” is entitled “What Francesca Does To English”, and upon reading it, you will be marvelling at the things Robert Priest does to English. This poetry will awe you. 

This book has many poems about love, but maybe no actual love poems in the strictest sense of that term. But there is much about the unpredictability and violence of love, and many a broken heart. 

Stars also play a role in several of the poems, affecting our lives in ways both benign and malevolent; but always randomly. There is humour too, as in “Why I See A Therapist” where Priest bemoans that everything reminds him of the Third Reich, but even this poem turns dark. 

Lighter moments are to be found though, such as the melodic and bouncy “Device”, a twisted tribute to the all-consuming power of the smartphone and its ilk. This is followed by a similar poem, “The Like Process”, an ode to that often elusive and addictive social media conformation. 

Several of the poems are visceral rants about nature and the planet and what mankind can and does do to it. Obviously the pandemic is one of the themes covered, resulting in the hilarious “Infection Prevention for Murderers” which cautions killers to practice social distancing. Sick, funny and brilliant. 

There are many sublime moments in this collection and I am grateful to have discovered Robert Priest’s work. I loved the words and the rollercoaster rhythm Priest imposes on them. Once you “get” his poetry, it gets you too and won’t let go. Mostly dark, even the humour comes at a price; Robert Priest makes you regret laughing as he skilfully twists the tone of the poems. Priest utilises many styles and poetical forms with a cornucopia of themes and images; the results are sometimes delicate, often brutal, but always stunning.

THE DANCING MEN

TITLE - THE DANCING MEN [EBOOK]

WRITTEN BY - ALEX WOOLF & ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

PUBLISHED BY - ARCTURUS PUBISHING 

PUBLICATION DATE - 1ST JULY 2022 

This charming little book is such an obvious idea, it’s surprising that nobody has thought of it before. 

The Sherlock Holmes stories (16 in the series) have been adapted for children, complete with Eve O'Brien's delightful illustrations, by Alex Woolf. Here, the famous story “The Adventure of the Dancing Men” is retold in a much simplified version, but this doesn’t harm the tale: it still manages to be a complete story with a beginning, middle and end.  

Narrated, as usual, by Doctor Watson, the story is engaging and should keep the little ones guessing until the end. Holmes’ explanation of the true meaning of the dancing men is so clear that it puts Conan Doyle to shame! The chapters are short allowing the book to be read and enjoyed by parents and children in one go. It is slightly violent but not in a gratuitous way. Alex Woolf has a good command of the story and it doesn’t have any obvious triggers.  

Overall, “The Dancing Men” is a triumph and it is a book every child over seven will enjoy. I’m so interested to see how the other stories such as “The Hound of the Baskervilles” and “The Final Problem” are handled that I may end up reading them all myself!

BUY IT FROM AMAZON

ELIOT AFTER THE WASTELAND

TITLE - ELIOT AFTER THE WASTELAND 

WRITTEN BY - ROBERT CRAWFORD

PUBLISHED BY - JONATHAN CAPE 

PUBLICATION DATE - 2ND JUNE 2022

“The Waste Land” by T. S. Eliot is one of my favourite poems, although anyone who has read it will know that the epithet “poem” barely does it justice. Eliot stands virtually alone in the pantheon of British poetry, creating verse that challenged the conformity and traditions of the time. 

I am a devotee of T. S. Eliot and I prepared for this book by reading Robert Crawford’s equally excellent first volume, 2015’s “Young Eliot: From St. Louis to The Waste Land”, in which he charted Eliot’s childhood and education, examining the eclectic (and often esoteric) influences on his burgeoning poetry that led to his epic poem. This second volume, entitled “Eliot After the Wasteland”, takes up Eliot’s life after the publication of that tumultuous, iconoclastic work; a period when he would write some of his most celebrated works, including “Four Quartets” and “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” and several successful plays. 

As author Robert Crawford states in the introduction to this second volume of his biography, he proffers a deep dive into the life of T. S. Eliot; not only of the celebrated poet but also to the secret life of “Tom” as his friends and family knew him. Throughout, Crawford refers to Eliot as Tom. With unprecedented access to surviving letters and interviews with people who knew Eliot at the time (indeed, Crawford is the last biographer to interview anyone who knew Eliot when “The Waste Land” was first published). This is very much a book about T. S. Eliot the man. Crawford paints an unvarnished portrait of Eliot, brilliant but human. He does not ignore Eliot’s failings in favour of a hagiography; Tom’s bawdy racist poetry and almost casual anti-Semitism will no doubt shock the modern reader. 

It is easy to dive back into Crawford’s work and continue Eliot’s life story, who now feels almost like an old friend thanks to the detail with which the first book brought him to life. The distinguished gentleman gracing the cover is T. S. Eliot as we know him; a world away from the nervous-looking youth from the first volume. 

This volume picks up the Eliot’s story from the end of the previous volume with little preamble, so while there is no absolutely pressing need to read that book first, some readers may feel like they should. This is merely an observation, not a criticism: having read the first volume, I can put myself in the shoes of someone picking up this book fresh. And as the second volume of this work, it is to be expected. Crawford offers intelligent analysis of Eliot’s poetry throughout but confesses that this isn’t the main thrust of his biography. 

There are many developments in Tom’s life in this book - his continued yet hidden feelings for another woman, Emily Hale; the protracted breakdown of his marriage;  the subsequent death of his wife, Vivien; his life-changing involvement with the fledgling publishing company Faber & Gwyer (soon to become Faber & Faber, which publishes his first book of poems), his conversion to Anglo-Catholicism and full British citizenship. Indeed, religion is one of the main driving forces of Eliot’s life; so too is his surprisingly complicated love-life. But above all, the main constant and unwelcome companion of Eliot’s life was Vivien’s and his own ill-health. Sadly, in the latter part of his life this would continue, especially for Vivien. There are unflinching passages about her suffering, and also of Tom’s - one doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry at how often Tom gets struck down by influenza or some such ailment. He agonises over guilt that he may have in some way caused Vivien’s illness, even metaphorically “killing” her. 

Obviously, the Second World War looms large in this period of Eliot’s life, and we feel the national tension grow as conflict and even invasion becomes ever more likely. There is a lot of interesting detail about Eliot’s experiences as an ARP warden and it is fascinating to read how the war developed on an almost weekly basis through the prism of his life. By the end of the book, Eliot has become a major celebrity, warranting front page splashes in the Daily Mail when he married his much younger secretary, Valerie Fletcher, and finally finding happiness (and not a little eroticism). 

“Eliot After the Wasteland” is a remarkable achievement and I enjoyed it immensely, and will return to both it and its predecessor. However, there are a couple of factors that make this book an often difficult read. Firstly, Crawford frequently mentions that various organisations, collections of writing, even the recipients of books from Tom, contained few or no women. This may warrant a single mention, but continually drawing attention to it as some kind of grievous sin almost a century later is egregious, and can only be due to the author wishing to score a few Brownie points with a progressive modern readership. 

Secondly, like its predecessor, this book is a weighty tome that includes a lot of painstaking detail on every aspect of Eliot’s life, both literary and personal, (in the case of Vivien’s illnesses, rather embarrassingly so) and as such the text can be a little longwinded at times: expect to read about every illness, night out and holiday the poet ever had. 

Criticisms aside, T. S. Eliot was a very intelligent and complex person, often self-absorbed, and his life-story requires a book of this calibre. Despite many highbrow passages, the book is very readable and there are moments of great poignancy - this is biography done right. “Eliot After the Wasteland” is a superb continuation of a groundbreaking biography of T. S. Eliot that is as close to definitive as we are ever likely to get.

BUY IT FROM BOOKSHOP