I always remember the poem where he says” stagger onward rejoicing.” When things were tough, I would say that to myself. Thank you the book sounds great.
What a magnificent phrase. I don’t remember the poem it came from to be honest, but I took the Collected Poems off the shelf today so hopefully I’ll come to it soon!
Reading Ackroyd on Auden at the moment. It's very odd to write a biography in 2026, ignoring the vast archive of notebooks and letters which has been available in the New York Public Library for more than 50 years. In what sense has this life been researched? It seems to be a rewrite of a familiar narrative, drawn from other published works and spiced up by a few strong opinions. I can't see anything new here.
I’d say it’s positioned as a popular one-volume biography for those who might not want to read eg, Mendelson or Jenkins. I think there’s room for both / all. Auden is certainly a capacious enough figure.
Great review, Mathew as always! It’s now top of my dangerously tottering TBR pile ! If the personal details get too overwhelming, there’s a delightful antidote in Alexander McCall Smith’s, “What W.H.Auden Can Do For You “ 😉I thank you for your critical insight and I love your writing.
Thank you so much, Pradnya! I don’t know the McCall Smith. I’ll look it out. Thanks for the recommendation. As I’ve said elsewhere, the biography has made me turn with wonder renewed to the poems.
I’m sorry but I don’t like the tone of this. Auden is a giant, with or without clean clothes, else why would Peter be able to flog another biography? “Sharp critical judgements” indeed. I liked The Island very much - that gave me to think. But nothing mentioned here is new. Except the metaphor of the “walking cavern” - Auden ad empty and dark? I don’t think so. Would any of us could bring as much light to bear.
I’m sorry if my tone offended. Auden is indeed a giant and I don’t think he or his work is in any way diminished by any of this. If anything the work seems yet more extraordinary. To me, at least.
Your gracious apology happily accepted- I don’t know why I got into such a huff - it’s not as though I don’t enjoy a gossipy biography. Perhaps once I have actually read it I will be better placed to sound off about it- you never know.
Well, if you can’t post a huffy opinion on the internet once in a while, what is the point of it?! Let me know what you think of the book if you read it - for good or ill. Ackroyd’s tone may well be more elevated than mine!
Your account of the book, and your question about whether Auden saw himself in Tennyson, does make one wonder about the extent to which Ackroyd sees himself in this Auden.
It definitely sounds like it is one of his better books (and I love Auden, so I think you just sold a copy).
Was Ackroyd ever really writing much about the writings of his subjects?
All his biographical work makes it now easy to forget that he is a novelist (or was one--has he written a novel since the 1990s?), and not a bad one, writing about smart people having troubled lives, as I recall. (I loved Hawksmoor.)
Good points! He is incredibly prolific. He thanks two researchers in the Auden - I suspect he must keep them busy. And yes, wiki tells me there eight works of fiction since 2000, including a couple of ‘re-tellings’.
Doesn't say much for the arts, any of this, does it? Goodness me, how depressing. (Agree incidentally Mathew with your comment below about not taking this impression from the Carpenter biog!)
This - from the Prospect review - makes me like him a bit more: ‘After the first Poetry International festival in 1971, he lamented that “there were some poets, notably [Pablo] Neruda, who obviously never were at a British Public School.”’ That’s the spirit!
I'm not sure how much I liked the Auden of the biography. But I certainly find his work all the more astonishing. I read Humphrey Carpenter's biography years ago, and I don't recall having the same impression. (It was *many* years ago, though.)
I always remember the poem where he says” stagger onward rejoicing.” When things were tough, I would say that to myself. Thank you the book sounds great.
What a magnificent phrase. I don’t remember the poem it came from to be honest, but I took the Collected Poems off the shelf today so hopefully I’ll come to it soon!
Reading Ackroyd on Auden at the moment. It's very odd to write a biography in 2026, ignoring the vast archive of notebooks and letters which has been available in the New York Public Library for more than 50 years. In what sense has this life been researched? It seems to be a rewrite of a familiar narrative, drawn from other published works and spiced up by a few strong opinions. I can't see anything new here.
I’d say it’s positioned as a popular one-volume biography for those who might not want to read eg, Mendelson or Jenkins. I think there’s room for both / all. Auden is certainly a capacious enough figure.
Great review, Mathew as always! It’s now top of my dangerously tottering TBR pile ! If the personal details get too overwhelming, there’s a delightful antidote in Alexander McCall Smith’s, “What W.H.Auden Can Do For You “ 😉I thank you for your critical insight and I love your writing.
Thank you so much, Pradnya! I don’t know the McCall Smith. I’ll look it out. Thanks for the recommendation. As I’ve said elsewhere, the biography has made me turn with wonder renewed to the poems.
I’m sorry but I don’t like the tone of this. Auden is a giant, with or without clean clothes, else why would Peter be able to flog another biography? “Sharp critical judgements” indeed. I liked The Island very much - that gave me to think. But nothing mentioned here is new. Except the metaphor of the “walking cavern” - Auden ad empty and dark? I don’t think so. Would any of us could bring as much light to bear.
I’m sorry if my tone offended. Auden is indeed a giant and I don’t think he or his work is in any way diminished by any of this. If anything the work seems yet more extraordinary. To me, at least.
Your gracious apology happily accepted- I don’t know why I got into such a huff - it’s not as though I don’t enjoy a gossipy biography. Perhaps once I have actually read it I will be better placed to sound off about it- you never know.
Well, if you can’t post a huffy opinion on the internet once in a while, what is the point of it?! Let me know what you think of the book if you read it - for good or ill. Ackroyd’s tone may well be more elevated than mine!
Your account of the book, and your question about whether Auden saw himself in Tennyson, does make one wonder about the extent to which Ackroyd sees himself in this Auden.
Great review!
Thank you, Andras! I hadn't thought that about Ackroyd and Auden. Interesting…
It definitely sounds like it is one of his better books (and I love Auden, so I think you just sold a copy).
Was Ackroyd ever really writing much about the writings of his subjects?
All his biographical work makes it now easy to forget that he is a novelist (or was one--has he written a novel since the 1990s?), and not a bad one, writing about smart people having troubled lives, as I recall. (I loved Hawksmoor.)
Good points! He is incredibly prolific. He thanks two researchers in the Auden - I suspect he must keep them busy. And yes, wiki tells me there eight works of fiction since 2000, including a couple of ‘re-tellings’.
I've rarely read a review which has so much made me want to read the book (now I'll have to). Thank you for this - it was a fantastic read!
Oh wow. Thank you so much! That's really made my day.
Doesn't say much for the arts, any of this, does it? Goodness me, how depressing. (Agree incidentally Mathew with your comment below about not taking this impression from the Carpenter biog!)
Not directly, perhaps. But my goodness what work he conjured from the chaos. It’s sent me back to the poems with awe renewed.
(And I’m glad you concur about the Carpenter! I couldn’t find my copy to revisit it.)
This - from the Prospect review - makes me like him a bit more: ‘After the first Poetry International festival in 1971, he lamented that “there were some poets, notably [Pablo] Neruda, who obviously never were at a British Public School.”’ That’s the spirit!
Ha!
Thank you! How complicated. How much do I want to know about a poet's personal.hygiene? I'm.not sure.
I'm not sure how much I liked the Auden of the biography. But I certainly find his work all the more astonishing. I read Humphrey Carpenter's biography years ago, and I don't recall having the same impression. (It was *many* years ago, though.)