The Failure of Conservatism in Modern British Poetry

The book critiques the misrepresentation in orthodox poetry criticism that equates conservatism with innovation, exploring the British tendency to resist change in poetry. It establishes criteria for defining innovation while examining stylistic developments from the 1950s to the mid-1990s. Although it highlights key innovations during this culturally vibrant period, it acknowledges that not every significant poet or work can be included in the discussion.