Byron and John Murray: A Poet and His Publisher

Byron and John Murray: A Poet and His Publisher is the first comprehensive account of the relationship between Byron and the man who published his poetry for over ten years. It illustrates how Murray was a competitive, innovative publisher who understood how to deal with his most famous author. Byron's letters to Murray represent a fascinating dialogue on the nature of his poetry and fame, and the book argues that Byrons ambivalent attitude towards professional writing and popular literature can be illuminated through an understanding of his relationship with Murray.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 05 January 2021
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

Byron and John Murray: A Poet and His Publisher is the first comprehensive account of the remarkable relationship between Byron and the man who published his poetry for over ten years. It is a paradoxical aspect of Byron's literary career that the liberal poet found himself published by a conservative publishing house. However, this book sheds light on John Murray as a competitive and innovative publisher who grasped the art of dealing with his most famous author. The book begins by tracing the early years of Murray's success, leading up to the publication of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. It delves into Byron's early engagement with the literary marketplace and how he became one of Murray's authors. The book then documents the remarkable success of their commercial association and the eventual and protracted disintegration of their relationship. Byron wrote more letters to John Murray than anyone else, and their correspondence represents a fascinating dialogue on the nature of Byron's poetry, particularly the nature of his fame. This book argues that Byron's ambivalent attitude towards professional writing and popular literature can be illuminated through an understanding of his relationship with Murray.

Byron and John Murray: A Poet and His Publisher is the first comprehensive account of the remarkable relationship between Byron and the man who published his poetry for over ten years. It is a paradoxical aspect of Byron's literary career that the liberal poet found himself published by a conservative publishing house. However, this book sheds light on John Murray as a competitive and innovative publisher who grasped the art of dealing with his most famous author. The book begins by tracing the early years of Murray's success, leading up to the publication of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. It delves into Byron's early engagement with the literary marketplace and how he became one of Murray's authors. The book then documents the remarkable success of their commercial association and the eventual and protracted disintegration of their relationship. Byron wrote more letters to John Murray than anyone else, and their correspondence represents a fascinating dialogue on the nature of Byron's poetry, particularly the nature of his fame. This book argues that Byron's ambivalent attitude towards professional writing and popular literature can be illuminated through an understanding of his relationship with Murray.

Weight: 360g
Dimension: 233 x 201 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800348790