Product Description

Though sometimes classified with Owen, Rosenberg and Sassoon as a 'war poet', he was rather a poet who died tragically in the war, and whose main subjects were the English countryside and its people, and the solitude of the observing self. The present edition offers the complete poems together with detailed editorial apparatus in what has become acknowledged as the standard edition by R. George Thomas. It also includes Thomas's remarkable prose War Diary of 1917.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #111552 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Review
'One of the most distinctive voices of the twentieth century.' P.J. Kavanagh

About the Author
Edward Thomas made his living as a literary journalist, writing several biographies and contributing hundreds of reviews to the leading magazines of his time. He was killed at the battle of Arras in April 1917.

Customer Reviews

Adlestrop - one of the best poems in the english language
Edward Thomas is a badly underated poet, up to a few weeks ago I hadn't heard his name. Although he wrote throughout the first world war, he could no be classed a a war poet as most of his poems focus on civilian life. In style, he is more of a georgian poet - quiet and understated. Through a few simple words, Thomas achieves an emotional truth that is difficult to find. My favourite poem, Adlestrop, brought me to tears when I first read it. The transitory nature of life and therefore the pain of memory is discussed here with more poignancy than other writers, such as Michael Frayn in Spies, can manage over 200 pages. In short, highly recomended- a valuable addition to any poetry collection.

Comprehensive Edition of Thomas' Poetry, Great Attention to Detail
Edward Thomas is regarded as one of the most important British poets of the twentieth century, and this detailed publication by Faber will provide readers with not only his complete poetic output, but also incisive critical and biographical depth.

Thomas represented the best of the Georgian Poets, an early-twentieth century group who wrote primarily about the pastoral landscape. Often criticised for being lightweight and lacking orignality, Thomas' work stood out from his contemporaries for its grave emotion, clarity of description and honesty.

As the world went to war, his concise poems about the British landscape underlined the value of what stood to be lost. Concerned with the countryside, his work can be seen as representing the deepening fracture between past and present, the shriking of rural life and the growth of modern cities. It depicts a particular turning point, socially and economically, in British history, as the economy became concerned with mass production. The tone is melancholy, but there is pride instead of hopelessness.

In terms of the presentation of Thomas' material, Faber deserve plenty of credit. This text will appeal to both casual readers, scholars and students alike. The introduction by Peter Sacks is a highlight: this offers a biographical sketch of the writer and also a refined and critical appreciation for his poetry.

In addition there are notes on each of the poems (that include the author's comments), Thomas' war diary and four appendices. By reading the book, you sense that those involved were genuinely concerned with handling the legacy of a great writer in the right way.

Edward Thomas: not just a war poet
As a songwriter, I often take inspiration from poets, and Edward Thomas has many an astonishing phrase to resonate in the memory long after. you put the book down: eg, 'stars like seeds of light', 'the whisper of the aspens'.

A very satisfying book to handle, it is a scholarly work with footnotes and references