A collectible new Penguin Classics series: stunning, clothbound
editions of ten favourite poets, which present each poet's most famous
book of verse as it was originally published. Designed by the acclaimed
Coralie Bickford-Smith and beautifully set, these slim, A format volumes
are the ultimate gift editions for poetry lovers.
A Shropshire Lad was first published in 1896 at A. E. Housman's own
expense. The collection of lyrical poems became hugely successful
following the Second Boer War and World War I, with themes such as
nostalgia for one's home and the patriotic celebration of the life of
the solider striking a chord with English readers. This collection
contains Housman's greatest works, demonstrating the lyrical precision
and emotional depth of his writing. It includes 'To an Athlete Dying
Young', a lyrical elegy to a life lost at its prime and 'When I was
One-and-Twenty', a love poem on the ignorance of youth.