Robert Graves: From Great War Poet to Good-bye to All That (1895-1929)

The book "Robert Graves: From Great War Poet to Good-bye to All That" explores the life, prose, and poetry of Robert Graves, highlighting his suppressed poems during and after the First World War. Jean Moorcroft Wilson, a celebrated biographer, sheds new light on Graves' life, experiences in the war, and the development of his poetry during the conflict, offering previously unpublished material.

Format: Hardback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 02 August 2018
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Robert Graves, a renowned poet who emerged from the trenches of World War I, has been the subject of a captivating new book titled "From Great War Poet to Goodbye to All That." This insightful work delves into the life, prose, and poetry of Graves, shedding light on his remarkable journey. Until his son, William Graves, reprinted nearly all of Graves's Poems About War in 1988, Graves's status as a "war poet" seemed to be largely based on his prose memoir, "Goodbye to All That." However, none of the previous biographies written on Graves had attempted to delve into this paradox in depth.

Jean Moorcroft Wilson, a celebrated biographer of poets such as Siegfried Sassoon, Isaac Rosenberg, and Edward Thomas, has now brought Graves's story to life. In this meticulously researched new book, Wilson explores Graves's fascinating life during this period, his experiences in the war, his near-death encounter at the Battle of the Somme, his dramatic escape from a third-story window after his lover Laura Ridings made an even more daring jump from the fourth storey, his relocation to Spain, and his final farewell to "all that."

Through extensive research and a wealth of previously unpublished material, Wilson traces not only Graves's compelling life but also the development of his poetry during the First World War. He delves into Graves's thoughts about the conflict, his shifting attitudes towards it, and the profound impact it had on his artistic expression.

"From Great War Poet to Goodbye to All That" is a must-read for anyone interested in the world of poetry and literature. It offers a fresh perspective on a renowned poet who has been largely neglected in the past. With its startling material and insightful analysis, this book provides a deeper understanding of Graves's life and work, making it an essential addition to the literature on World War I and its aftermath.

Weight: 886g
Dimension: 233 x 158 x 42 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472929143