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by: Philip Larkin
List Price: $22.95Amazon.com's Price: $18.36 You Save: $4.59 (20%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 821.914
EAN: 9780472085842
ISBN: 0472085840
Label: University of Michigan Press
Manufacturer: University of Michigan Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 328
Publication Date: October 01, 1999
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
Sales Rank: 948746
Studio: University of Michigan Press
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
The reappearance of Philip Larkin's Required Writing will be welcomed by the late poet's many readers and admirers. The book's first two parts, 'Recollections' and 'Interviews,' provide autobiographical glimpses of the very private Larkin's childhood, his youth at Oxford, the genesis of his forty-year career as a librarian, and the influences that initially steered his poetry.
The second half of the book reflects Larkin's literary standards and opinions in often witty and surprising, always beautifully wrought, essays and reviews. His subjects range from Emily Dickinson (were her first lines her best?) to the contemporary mystery novel. Required Writing concludes with a selection of pieces on jazz music.
'Larkin is a punctilious, honest critic. He prefers good clear writing to pretentious eyewash; he prefers tunes to discordant wailing; and he prefers home to abroad. Unlike the majority of critics, he is clear-sighted enough to say so.' --A. N. Wilson, Sunday Telegraph
'I read the collection with growing excitement, agreement and admiration. It is the best contemporary account of the writer's true aims I have encountered.' --John Mortimer, Sunday Times (London)
'Subtle, supple, craftily at ease, Required Writing is on a par with Larkin's poetry--which is just about as high as praise can go.' --Clive James, Observer
Philip Larkin was the author of poetry collections, including High Windows, The Whitsun Weddings, and The Less Deceived; a book of essays entitled All What Jazz: A Record Diary; and two novels, Jill, and A Girl in Winter, published early in his career. Required Reading was originally published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Larkin on poetry and jazz
Anyone familar with Larkin's poetry will want to read this book of essays on literature and jazz. In it he demonstrates the same humor, common-sense, and intelligence that can be found in his poetry. His strong preference is for poets who are not deliberately obscure or difficult. Indeed, at times Larkin can sound almost anti-intellectual. This is misleading; he is very serious about his art. In this collection, he shows great insight into the works of other 20th Century British poets. His essays ... Read More
Rating:  - Larkin's miscellanies
Readers who liked Larkin's poetry will find the same humorous and pessimistic point of view to like in Larkin the book reviewer and jazz critic.
This book gathers together Larkin's miscellanies. It consists of two interviews with Larkin, his introductions to his novels and books of poetry, talks about poetry, reviews of poetry anthologies, biographies and novels plus some material about jazz that is also included in his book "All What Jazz." Most of the writing is about literature and ... Read More
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