The Complete Works of W. H. Auden: Poems, Volume II: 1940-1973

W. H. Auden is one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century, and this is the second volume of the first complete edition of his poems. It includes all his published and unpublished poems, edited and annotated by Edward Mendelson, and presents them in their original published versions with extensive revisions and explanations. The first volume is also available.

Format: Hardback
Length: 1120 pages
Publication date: 14 June 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press

W. H. Auden (1907-1973) is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, and his reputation has continued to soar since his passing. To mark the centenary of the year when he embarked on his poetic journey, this remarkable edition presents the second volume of the inaugural complete collection of Auden's poems. Edited, introduced, and annotated by esteemed Auden scholar Edward Mendelson, this definitive edition encompasses all the poems Auden authored for publication, presented in their original texts, along with all his subsequent revised versions. Additionally, it includes unpublished poems and songs, some of which are presented here for the very first time.

This volume showcases Auden as a seasoned artist, encompassing all the poems he published or submitted for publication from 1940 until his passing at the age of sixty-six. This includes his poetry collections from the period, starting with The Double Man (1941) and concluding with Epistle to a Godson (1972). The volume also features an edited version of his incomplete, posthumous book Thank You, Fog , along with his self-designated "posthumous" poems.

The primary text presents the poems in their original published formats. The notes encompass the extensive revisions Auden made to his poems throughout his career, offering explanations for any obscure references.

For those interested, the first volume of this edition, Poems, Volume I: 1927–1939 , is also readily available.

Weight: 1640g
Dimension: 169 x 245 x 71 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691219301