Dylan the Bard: A Life of Dylan Thomas (Biography & Memoirs) Book

Dylan Thomas perfectly fulfilled the public's expectation of the wild poet: a legendary drinker, brawler, hell raiser and insatiable womaniser who died at the age of 39. Unfortunately, the image has obscured the quality of the work, which devotees would still claim to be some of the greatest of the 20th century. Andrew Sinclair is well qualified to offer us a new, more serious view of Thomas, since he directed the brilliant film version of Under Milk Wood in 1972, starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. While never disguising the more flamboyant side of the poet, he also delves deep into the hidden territory to discover what drove Thomas on: an intoxicating mixture of proud and passionate Welshness, a love of life and, yes, a great deal of booze. (Richard Burton pointed out that Thomas was at his best between his third and eighth drinks. After that he got maudlin.)Sinclair also reprints in full Thomas's fascinating poetic manifesto, in which he defines poetry simply as "celebration", however tragic. - -Christopher HartRead More