Good for what ails us

Paradise in the Waste Land by T S Eliot

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The April 8, 1966 cover of Time Magazine touched off a firestorm of debate and criticism with the question “Is God Dead?” In the January 22, 2013 edition of the Washington Post, columnist Alexandra Petri asked the same of poetry and touched off some serious whimpering. The fact that you are considering Paradise In The Waste Land with an introduction by Jeremiah Webster indicates that you’re either a poor Googler or are willing to give poetry, specifically Eliot, a chance. The only real question at this point is which of the 4000+ books about or by T.S. Eliot currently available on Amazon you should choose. Whether Petri’s question resonates or you are a true believer quixotically intent on proselytizing the Millennials in your home or classroom, this collection of some of Eliot’s earlier works is the one for you.

Paradise In The Waste Land is a thoughtful selection of essays, short fiction and of course poetry, including The Waste Land and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, two must-haves. The real differentiator, however, is the introduction by Jeremiah Webster. As a member (or hostage) of the Twitter-centric society in which Alexandra Petri and the rest of us exist, you will need to justify the time and effort spent reading Eliot. Webster’s apologia, titled “Modern Mandrake: Reviving the Poetry of T.S. Eliot,” provides that justification and much more. His discussion of Eliot as a “Modern” poet both establishes the historical context of his work and lays the foundation for his pertinence to 21st century readers. In the course of proving his thesis, that “Eliot’s poetry deserves a new readership,” he addresses Eliot’s numerous critics; reminds us that a modicum of patience will be required since the Moderns’ poetry is characterized by “encyclopedic breadth;” and provides the Millennial prerequisite for everything, the “WIFM” (What’s in it for me?). Webster’s introduction is compelling, erudite and like his estimation of The Waste Land, a “much needed corrective.”




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