The Sunday Sessions: Philip Larkin reading his poetry

Audio

Main Details

Title The Sunday Sessions: Philip Larkin reading his poetry
Authors and Contributors      By (author) Philip Larkin
Read by Philip Larkin
Physical Properties
Format:Audio
Dimensions(mm): Height 313,Width 315
Category/GenreLiterary studies - from c 1900 -
Literary studies - poetry and poets
ISBN/Barcode 9780571289158
ClassificationsDewey:821.914
Audience
General
Edition Main - Vinyl LP

Publishing Details

Publisher Faber & Faber
Imprint Faber & Faber
Publication Date 26 January 2012
Publication Country United Kingdom

Description

The Sunday Sessions consists of twenty-six poems, the contents of two tapes recorded by Philip Larkin in Hull in February 1980 - reportedly, each on a Sunday, after lunch with John Weeks, a sound engineer and colleague of the poet. The tapes, which contain work from Larkin's first major collection, The North Ship, as well as poems from his best-known collections, The Whitsun Weddings and High Windows, remained 'lost' for over two decades, lying on a shelf in the garage in which they were recorded. Since their rediscovery they have been the subject of widespread media attention, including a BBC Radio 4 Archive Hour documentary. Their contents are here published in full for the first time.

Author Biography

Philip Larkin was born in Coventry in 1922 and was educated at King Henry VIII School, Coventry, and St John's College, Oxford. As well as his volumes of poems, which include The Whitsun Weddings and High Windows, he wrote two novels, Jill and A Girl in Winter, and two books of collected journalism: All What Jazz: A Record Library, and Required Writing: Miscellaneous Prose. He worked as a librarian at the University of Hull from 1955 until his death in 1985. He was the best-loved poet of his generation, and the recipient of innumerable honours, including the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry, and the WHSmith Award.