John Betjeman: The Biography

Description

This biography takes the reader from Betjeman's troubled childhood in north London, through his blossoming at Oxford; a gay fling with W. H. Auden; a clandestine marriage to a field marshal's daughter; pranks as a film critic; wartime service and probable espionage in Ireland, to the glory days of his later years when his Collected Poems became a runaway bestseller. This book is a distillation of Bevis Hillier's three-volume biography, authorized by Betjeman himself.

Bevis Hillier has devoted more than twenty-five years to writing Betjeman's life, a task entrusted to him by the poet himself. Like Betjeman he was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford. Later he joined the Times, became editor of The Connoisseur and a columnist on the Los Angeles Times, as well as writing for many other papers and journals. He edited Betjeman's 'Uncollected Poems' 'now included in 'Collected Poems'', compiled 'John Betjeman: A Life in Pictures' and is the author of 'Young Betjeman'. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Royal Society of Literature. He lives in Hampshire.

'This user-friendly trade paperback! will be welcomed as a crucial reference work by students and aficionados alike' -- Oxford Times 20060623 '[Hillier] has unearthed a wealth of detail and anecdote.' -- Glasgow Herald 20060619 'Hillier's enthralling, many-voiced biography is an awesome achievement. But it is no more than Betjeman's due' -- John Carey, Sunday Times 20060619 'Fascinating' -- Humphrey Carpenter, Sunday Times 20060619 'Sharply perceptive ... compelling ... A biography this good abolishes time in its own way, and triumphantly ensures Betjeman's survival' -- Peter Conrad, Observer 20060619 'A mosaic in which the true face of the man and his times is revealed' -- Mail on Sunday 20041128 'The chubbiest, juiciest book of the year' -- Barry Humphries, Daily Telegraph 20041128 'Strikes just the right note.' -- Telegraph 20041113 'An awe-inspiring piece of scholarship ... Betjeman has had the best and most sympathetic biographer he could have wished for' -- Artemis Cooper, Evening Standard 20041113 'A triumph' -- Spectator 20041113 'Hilarious and very poignant' -- Duncan Fallowell, Express 20041113 'A mosaic in which the true face of the man and his time is revealed' -- Craig Brown, Mail on Sunday 20041113 'A pleasure to read and use.' -- Evening Standard 20041113 'Immensely detailed, intelligent, generous, sympathetic, and often entertaining' -- Allan Massie, Literary Review 20041113 '[Hillier] has unearthed a wealth of detail and anecdote' -- Glasgow Herald 20060624 'A fine portrait of a vulnerable, acerbic man with a teddy.' -- BBC History 20060701 'John Betjeman remains extremely popular' -- BBC History 20060801 'A stupendous work in many ways' -- Daily Telegraph 20060819 'Bevis Hillier's fine biography joins the jubilations' -- The Times/Books 20060819 'Where anyone interested in Betjeman will dig happily away' -- Sunday Telegraph/Seven 20060827 'Hillier's [biography] has a wealth of often-hilarious detail that Wilson never touches on' -- Tim Martin, Daily Telegraph 20060827