In scrutinizing WH Auden’s September 1, 1939, Ian Sansom borrows two questions recommended by Auden himself for the study of a poem: ‘How does it work? And what kind of guy inhabits this poem?’ Sansom argues that this work offers a glimpse of the writer reinventing himself at a culminating moment in world affairs, and seeks to show why this poem is a masterpiece and how it has been incorporated into people’s lives.
This is a book about a poet, about a poem, about a city, and about a world at a point of change. More than a work of literary criticism or literary biography, it is a record of why and how we create and respond to great poetry.
This is a book about a poet - W. H. Auden, a wunderkind, a victim-beneficiary of a literary cult of personality who became a scapegoat and a poet-expatriate largely excluded from British literary history because he left.
About a poem - 'September 1, 1939', his most famous and celebrated, yet one which he tried to rewrite and disown and which has enjoyed - or been condemned - to a tragic and unexpected afterlife.
About a city - New York, an island, an emblem of the Future, magnificent, provisional, seamy, and in 1939 about to emerge as the defining twentieth-century cosmopolis, the capital of the world.
And about a world at a point of change - about 1939, and about our own Age of Anxiety, about the aftermath of September 11, when many American newspapers reprinted Auden's poem in its entirety on their editorial pages.
Independent bookseller Established in 1987, we’ve been sharing reading recommendations for decades.
Books you won’t find elsewhere Discover new authors among our frequently changing bookshelves, along with almost-forgotten gems and a wealth of unusual titles you won’t find elsewhere.
Eco-friendly packaging Orders are carefully packed in recyclable cardboard boxes, eco-friendly bubble wrap and solvent-free labels, paper and tape.
Condition and price All our books are new, unused and unread, and they’re all up to 75% off RRP.
FREE monthly catalogue Featuring over 400 handpicked titles, our unique catalogue is carefully curated and includes new and unusual titles, special features and exclusive collections.
Email newsletters Our tailored newsletters are written by our booksellers, and we always highlight the books that we have talked about most in the Postscript office.
Footnotes blog Some books spark ideas and conversations that our catalogue can’t contain – our Footnotes blog offers a deeper dive into a wealth of topics to inspire further reading.
Aftercare We are all serious book people and we understand the value of reading. This is why we package our books so carefully and employ a helpful in-house customer services team to promptly resolve any queries you may have.
Delivery information - FREE UK delivery on orders over £25
UK
Free UK standard delivery on all online orders over £25
Flat rate for all standard delivery orders: £3.00 (3-5 working days)
Flat rate for Next Day orders (orders must be placed before 1pm, Monday–Friday): £4.50
Flat rate for all Royal Mail Tracked48 orders: £5.50 (2-4 working days)
Standard delivery: 3-5 working days (Highlands and Islands 5-7 working days)
Next day delivery: Available all UK excluding Highlands and Islands
Collect your order from a local shop – prices and delivery times as above
Overseas
All orders: delivery costs for orders outside the UK are based on country of destination and product weight.
You can view your overseas delivery cost using the Summary section within the Basket.
For more information on delivery/overseas orders please refer to our Delivery Information.
product
https://www.psbooks.co.uk/september-1-1939-2517637September 1, 1939https://www.psbooks.co.uk/media/catalog/product/5/1/517637_df469d9b0399cbcc470df2d7a8c447b0.jpg5.995.99GBPInStock/Non-Fiction/Highlights/Academic/Categories/Literature/Academic/Historical periods/Twentieth Century/Academic/Categories/History/Academic<span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38); font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In scrutinizing WH Auden’s </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(38, 38, 38); font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">September 1, 1939</i><span style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38); font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, Ian Sansom borrows two questions recommended by Auden himself for the study of a poem: ‘How does it work? And what kind of guy inhabits this poem?’ Sansom argues that this work offers a glimpse of the writer reinventing himself at a culminating moment in world affairs, and seeks to show why this poem is a masterpiece and how it has been incorporated into people’s lives.</span>Paperback00add-to-cartrrp_info:£10.99productId:66061bic_code:D, DC, DS, DSA, DSCD, DC, DS, DSA, DSC£10.99Ian SansomAcademic198x129mm4th EstateNoPaperbackLiterature & Poetry
