A Shropshire Lad, A.E. Housman
A Shropshire Lad, A.E. Housman
List: $10.00 | Sale: $7.00
Club: $5.00

A Shropshire Lad

Author: A.E. Housman

Narrator: Samuel West

Unabridged: 1 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Naxos

Published: 05/31/2011


Synopsis

In A Shropshire Lad, A.E. Housman recreates a nostalgic world of lost love, lost youth, thwarted friendships, unfaithful girls, male bonding, untimely death and the uncertain glories of being a soldier. The poems deal with the exuberance of youth – its aspirations and disappointments, its naive certainties and tragic mistakes. Though written in 1895, it struck a chord with the generation of young men who fought in World War I. It was said that every ‘Tommy’ had a copy in his knapsack. It has never been out of print.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Bill on July 10, 2019

The much-anthologized lyrics everyone remembers from this slim volume are memorable for their delicate music and Attic restraint, but many of the sixty-three poems contained herein are pretty forgettable; reiterating the familiar themes of youthful beauty and early death without deepening or enrichi......more

Goodreads review by Jon on September 06, 2024

Read this long ago - but I am not sure if it was just selected poems. The Dover issue was wonderful and I will read it again; the poems are simple and true - beautiful and haunting. In my opinion the transitory nature of existence has never been more poetically rendered - highest recommendation.......more

Goodreads review by Majenta on February 03, 2021

I'm glad I finally read it. Thank you to M.E. Kerr (THE SON OF SOMEONE FAMOUS) and Blossom Elfman (A HOUSE FOR JONNIE O.) for the consciousness-raising (mentioning this in their books).......more

Goodreads review by Katie on October 19, 2021

I enjoyed this much more on a reread – the language is lyrical in a great way and the rhythm is lovely. An interesting exploration of growing up, death and rural life, if a little sentimental at times.......more

Goodreads review by Brett on September 21, 2022

The one little part that stood out to me, "The tree of man was never quiet: Then 'twas the Roman, now 'tis I." This was a neat read. Thanks!......more