简介：InReturnToT.S.EliotlandwriterandcriticA.N.Wilsonexploresthelifeandworkofoneofthetwentiethcentury’sgreatestpoets,T.S.Eliot. AndrewWilsonhasbeenreadingandrereadingEliotformuchofhislife.NowfromthehallsofHarvardUniversitytoaSomersetvillage,viaaMargatepromenadeshelter,hefollowsthespiritualandpsychologicaljourneythatEliottookinhismosticonicpoems. FromTheLoveSongofJAlfredPrufrocktoTheWasteLandandfromAshWednesdaytoFourQuartets,WilsontracesEliot’slifestoryasitinformshisgreatestworks.Hetravelstotheplacesthatinspiredthem,visitingtheEliotfamily’sholidayhomeontheMassachusettscoast,followinghimtoOxfordwherehemetandrapidlymarriedhisfirstwife,thelivelyandbohemianVivienHaigh-Wood,andontoLondonwherehemadehishomeandhisname.HeexploreshowEliot’srealisationthatheandVivienwerefundamentallyincompatibleandtheirresultingunhappinessinfluencedTheWasteLandandexamineshowhissubsequentconversiontoChristianitycolouredhislaterworks,concludinghisjourneybyvisitingsomeofthekeylocationsaroundwhichhestructuredhisfinalmasterpiece,FourQuartets. Chockfullofallusion,attimesopaqueandelliptical,Eliot’spoetryiswidelyregardedascomplexanddifficult-buthereA.N.Wilsoneloquentlymakesthecasethatgrapplingwithithasimmenserewards.Intheseworks,Eliottakesonweightyideasoftimeandmemoryandfaithandbelief,themeswhichWilsonargueshaveasmuchrelevancetodayasduringhislifetime.Andwhilsthailinghisgenius,Wilsondoesnotshyawayfromconfrontingthediscomfortinganddarksideofhiswork.…