Reading Philip Larkin: Selected Poems

The book offers a detailed commentary on the

poetry of Philip Larkin, exploring the political and

cultural contexts which have shaped his

contemporary reputation. Part 1, Life and Times,

traces Larkin’s early years and follows his

development, within his career as a university

librarian, into one of the most important and popular

voices in twentieth-century poetry. Part 2, Artistic

Strategies, explores a range of methodologies and

aesthetic influences by which Larkin was able to

create poetry at once both accessible and profound.

Part 3, Reading Larkin, provides detailed critical

commentary on many of the poems from his three

major collections, The Less Deceived, The Whitsun

Weddings and High Windows. Part 4, Reception,

outlines the history of Larkin’s reputation from the

mid-1950s to the present, examining the debates

and ideological confrontations to which his poetry

has given rise.