Wilfred Owen: The definitive biography of the best-loved war poet

by Dominic Hibberd

Overview

The definitive biography of the war poet - 'Dominic Hibberd has probably done more more than any other individual to illuminate Owen's life and work. His new Life is a triumph ... it is difficult to believe it will ever be superseded' Mark Bostridge, The Independent on Sunday

When Wilfred Owen died in 1918 aged 25, only five of his poems had been published. Yet he became one of the most popular poets of the 20th century. For decades his public image was controlled by family and friends, especially his brother Harold who was terrified anyone might think Wilfred was gay. In recent years much new material has become available. This book, based on over thirty years of wide-ranging research, brings new information to almost every part of Owen's life. Owen emerges as a complex, fascinating and often endearing character with an intense delight in being alive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781474616171
Publisher:	Orion
Publication date:	11/07/2019
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	44 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Dominic Hibberd has been an acknowledged authority on Wilfred Owen for many years. He was the fourth editor of Owen's war poems, following Siegried Sassoon, Edmund Blunden and Cecil Day Lewis. He taught at Manchester Grammar School and universities in England, the United States and China before settling in an Oxfordshire village, where he is now a full-time author.
Dominic Hibberd is a freelance writer, reviewer and broadcaster, formerly a teacher at manchester Grammar School and at universities in England, the USA and China. His particular area of research and interest is the literature of the First World War (1914-18).

Table of Contents

	List of illustrations	vii
	List of maps	ix
	List of drawings	x
	Family tree	xi
	Acknowledgements	xiii
	Introduction	xvii
1	From Plas Wilmot to Wilmot House	1
2	Schoolboy (Birkenhead, 1900-1907)	14
3	Pupil-Teacher (Shrewsbury, 1907-1911)	35
4	Parish Assistant (Dunsden, October 1911-July 1912)	62
5	Apostate (Dunsden, July 1912-February 1913)	84
6	Escape (Shrewsbury, February-August 1913)	99
7	Professor of English (Bordeaux, September 1913-July 1914)	108
8	Tres-joli garcon (Bagneres-de-Bigorre, July-September 1914)	127
9	Freelance (Bordeaux, September 1914-October 1915)	141
10	Cadet (The Artists' Rifles, October 1915-May 1916)	166
11	Second Lieutenant (5th Manchesters, June-December 1916)	186
12	Seventh Hell (Serre and Beaumont Hamel, January-March 1917)	203
13	To the Hindenburg Line (St Quentin, March-April 1917)	225
14	Mental Case (Gailly and Craiglockhart, May-August 1917)	243
15	Disciple (Craiglockhart, August-November 1917)	264
16	Major Domo (Scarborough, November 1917-March 1918)	284
17	Getting Fit (Ripon, March-June 1918)	305
18	Normal Again (Scarborough, June-August 1918)	320
19	Through the Hindenburg Line (France, September-October 1918)	333
20	The Final Battle (France, October-November 1918)	354
	Epilogue	367
Appendix A	The Salter Family	372
Appendix B	The Accusation of Cowardice	374
Appendix C	Military Cross Citations	376
Appendix D	Harold Owen's Voyages	378
	Sources and Abbreviations	381
	Notes	384
	Index	413

What People are Saying About This

Hibberd's biography is particularly effective in communicating a sense of its subject's shy charm.

RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH

[Hibberd's] new biography is full of reliable information, intelligent judgments, and pleasingly transparent writing.

BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE

Owen deserved--but has so far lacked--a definitive biography. Now it is indisputably here.

Choice

This is literary biography of the first order, splendidly written and thoroughly documented.

SUNDAY TIMES

This rich, compelling, formidably researched enterprise...is the fruit of half a lifetime's devotion to Owen's memory.

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Hibberd has probably done more than any other individual to illuminate Owen's life and work...a triumph.... It is difficult to believe it will ever be superseded.

Editorial Reviews

Owen deserved but has so far lacked a definitive biography. Now it is indisputably here.

BBC History Magazine

Hibberd has probably done more than any other individual to illuminate Owen's life and work...a triumph.... It is difficult to believe it will ever be superseded.

Independent On Sunday

Hibberd's biography is particularly effective in communicating a sense of its subject's shy charm.

Literary Review

This rich, compelling, formidably researched enterprise...is the fruit of half a lifetime's devotion to Owen's memory.

Sunday Times

[A] magisterial biography.

New York Times Book Review

...It is hard to see how [this book] could be improved upon.

Time Literary Supplement

Hibberd's biography, is particularly effective in communicating a sense of its subject's shy charm.

Literary Review - Thomas Hodgkinson

Hibberd has probably done more than any other individual to illuminate Owen's life and work...a triumph.... It is difficult to believe it will ever be superseded.

The Independent On Sunday - Mark Bostridge

Hibberd's biography provides a much fuller, more complex and nuanced depiction of Owen than any available to his point.

CHOICE - G. Grieve-Carlson

Owen deserved—but has so far lacked—a definitive biography. Now it is indisputably here.

BBC History Magazine - Nigel Jones

Hibberd is the world's foremost authority on this soldier-poet, and his new biography is full of reliable information, intelligent judgements.

Richmond Times-Dispatch - Ron Smith

Owen deserved—but has so far lacked—a definitive biography. Now it is indisputably here.
— Nigel Jones

Bbc History Magazine

A magisterial biography.

The New York Times

Although Dominic Hibberd modestly says that his book 'is not, of course, definitive,' it is hard to see how it could be improved upon.

Times Literary Supplement (UK)

This rich, compelling, formidably researched enterprise...is the fruit of half a lifetime's devotion to Owen's memory.

Sunday Times - John Carey

Hibberd is the world's foremost authority on this soldier-poet, and his new biography is full of reliable information, intelligent judgements.
— Ron Smith

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Although Dominic Hibberd modestly says that his book 'is not, of course, definitive,' it is hard to see how it could be improved upon.

Times Literary Supplement

Literary biography of the first order, splendidly written and thoroughly documented.... Highly recommended.

Choice

A magisterial biography.

The New York Times

Literary biography of the first order, splendidly written and thoroughly documented.... Highly recommended.

CHOICE

A magisterial biography.

New York Times