Beyond the Last Dragon: A Life of Edwin Morgan

by James McGonigal

Edwin Morgan's restless imagination moved easily between multiple worlds, voices and identities. His own life story, told here for the first time, also reveals a range of identities - as academic, cultural activist, radical writer, international traveller, gay man and national poet. These identities were sometimes in conflict, or kept hidden and apart. Beyond the Last Dragon, written with his full support, explores hitherto unknown archive resources and creative work. It recounts an amazing and sometimes troubled career, using the poet's own letters, poems and plays from the 1930s to the present day to uncover the origins of his remarkable - and life-long - inventiveness and flair. All this is set against Edwin Morgan's moving struggle against `the last dragon' of cancer, and to remain creatively alive in the face of suffering in the final years of his life. This prize-winning biography was published just days after the poet's death. James McGonigal now adds a new chapter to describe subsequent events.

Genres: Poetry

462 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2010

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most Scots I first came across Edwin Morgan's poetry when taught it at school, but he was a poet I came back to again and again, and re-read in later life. His biography gives a context to the poetry and insights into the very private man written by someone obviously close to him, from family life, time in the army during WW2, university life and relationships through life - personal, professional and private. One minor irritation for me was the biographer defending the Catholic Church from the quoted opinions of Morgan, from the author's own perspective when Morgan is no longer here to reply.

It made me go back and re-read many of Edwin Morgan's poems with fresh insight and I would highly recommend this book.