Reviews for The literary relationship of Lord Byron & Thomas Moore

The average rating for The literary relationship of Lord Byron & Thomas Moore based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-08-18 00:00:00 Michael Acuna I probably give out too many five-star reviews, but this book thoroughly earned it. It is an elegant, old-fashioned work of scholarship. Thomas Moore was one of the best-natured and most talented writers working in Romantic Britain, but like most writers, his fame has dwindled with the centuries. In this book, Vail investigates how Moore and his most famous peer, Lord Byron, influenced one another over a decade and a half of close friendship. As he goes along, he analyses most of Moore's poetry, and his fabulous Life of Lord Byron. Vail's research is forensic—he appears to have read every relevant piece of primary evidence in detail. His style is elegant—he wears his learning lightly, and writes with great clarity and concision. His arguments are incontrovertible—there are no moments of dazzling insight or lacerating wit here, but simply the steady accumulation of forgotten truths, strung together in a clear, rational argument. Probably only die-hard fans of Byron or Moore (if there are any die-hard fans of Moore among the living) will really enjoy this book. But scholars and students of Romanticism really must read it, and will find the experience a gentle, and rather unexpected pleasure.

Review # 2 was written on 2009-08-31 00:00:00 Kristen Kern Great short book about Akhmatova's life. I knew basic facts about her (death of her husband, arrest of her son, meeting with Isaiah Berlin, trouble with the powers-that-be) but was not aware that she had such difficulties in her personal relationships and drew a better understanding of her poetry by knowing more about her life. The excerpts of her poems are beautifully translated. If you want to know more about Akhmatova, this book is a great place to start.