George Gordon, Lord Byron (British Library Writers' Lives)

By Martin Garrett

Book Overview

Described by a contemporary as "mad, bad, and dangerous to know," Byron has been haunted by his infamous reputation for over 200 years. This readable and lively biography of the poet examines his chaotic life story, full of contradictions--an aristocrat with republican views, a proponent of romantic love notorious for his casual relationships, a religious agnostic who admired Roman Catholicism. His work was sensational from the start; his first poetry collection was withdrawn from circulation because it contained explicit references to his romantic conquests. He traveled through Europe on horseback, and on his return to London published a poem--Childe Harold's Pilgrimage--based on his experiences abroad. The poem was a bestseller, which established Lord Byron's reputation as one of England's most talented poets and Romanticism's most recognizable symbol. Other successful poems followed, such as Don Juan and Bride of Abydos. Byron's scandalous love affairs made him a celebrity, but also forced him to spend more and more time away from England. He lived in Italy and Greece and actively participated in the revolutionary movements in both countries. He died in Greece from fever just as his soldiers were preparing to attack a Turkish position.

About the series:
The British Library is in a unique position when it comes to biographical research, especially concerning British authors. This revered institution boasts the world's largest collection of original manuscripts, as well as an outstanding collection of letters, personal diaries, first editions, and other literary treasures. The titles in this series take full advantage of this vast source of documentary evidence by illustrating each of these lively writers' biographies with state-of-the-art facsimiles of pertinent documents and reproductions of art from the period. Penned by expert biographers, each of these books also contains an index, further reading list, and a chronology of the writer's life.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195216776
• ISBN13: 9780195216776
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.2" x 9.8"
• Age Range: 11 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 6 to 9

Customer Reviews

Excellent Summary

As I said of the Wordsworth, Coleridge and Keats volumes, this entire series, sadly not fully available, is an excellent introduction or, as in my case, re-introduction to the background and development of Byron, a rather self-absorbed and unappealing man. I particularly enjoyed the visuals as adding to the sense of time and place. Also, the description of Byron's relationship to other artists of the period (and historical events) added further depth to what might be called informative light reading.