Louis MacNeice Books

John Berryman was an energetic correspondent. Assembled here for the first time, his letters tell of generosity, ambition, and struggle. He has encouraging words for fellow poets and younger writers and is deeply engaged in literary culture. But also visible are the struggles of a working artist grappling with alcoholism and depression.

This volume brings together all of Berryman's poetry, except for his epic The Dream Songs, ranging from his earliest unpublished poem (1934) to those written in the last months of his life (1972). A definitive edition of one of America's most distinguished poets.

Written between August and December 1938, Autumn Journal is still considered one of the most valuable and moving testaments of living through the thirties by a young writer.

Book by MacNeice, Louise

This Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of poems is celebrated for its raw intensity and masterful craftsmanship. With themes that continue to resonate, the work challenges conventions and evokes powerful emotions, leaving an enduring impact on readers long after its initial release. Its bold exploration of complex subjects ensures that it remains both shocking and thought-provoking decades later.

In the summer of 1936, W H Auden and Louis MacNeice visited Iceland on commission to write a travel book, but found themselves capturing concerns on a scale that were far more international. This is a collaboration in poetry and prose, reportage and correspondence, published in 1937 with the Spanish Civil War newly in progress.

Here is a juxtaposition of the personal and inter-communal dynamics focussed on the West African experience during the pivotal decade of the 1960s, when National Independence demanded a reflexion on the definition of the new states, and how external factors have borne heavily upon their past, present and future. The author blends his experience of study and travel in the region, acknowledging his debt to the pioneering spirit of the School of Oriental and African Studies who facilitated the enterprise, with an analysis of the challenges the new entities have faced, and how they have fared, nationally and globally, in the light of Slavery, Colonialism and Black Lives Matter.