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The Three Lives of Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas was one of the most extraordinary poetic talents of the twentieth century. Poems such as 'Do not go gentle into that good night' regularly come top of polls of the nation's favourites. His play Under Milk Wood is studied in schools all over the world and has never been out of print. Thomas lived a life that was rarely without incident and died a death that has gone down in legend as the epitome of Bohemian dissoluteness.
In The Three Lives of Dylan Thomas, journalist Hilly Janes explores that life and its extraordinary legacy through the eyes of her father, the artist Alfred Janes, who was Thomas's great friend and painted the poet at three key moments, in 1934, 1953 and, posthumously, 1965. Using the portraits as focal points, The Three Lives of Dylan Thomas plots the poet's journey from his birthplace in Swansea to his untimely death in a New York hospital in 1953.
Drawing on a personal archive that includes drawings, diaries, letters and new interviews with Thomas's friends and descendants, as well as with biographers, critics and art historians, Hilly Janes manages to bring to life the poet and his times in this highly original and powerful narrative. This portrait goes beneath the reputation of the feckless, disloyal, boozy Welsh bard to reveal a very complex character. Feckless and disloyal, yes, but also lovable, charming, scholarly, dedicated and vulnerable
In The Three Lives of Dylan Thomas, journalist Hilly Janes explores that life and its extraordinary legacy through the eyes of her father, the artist Alfred Janes, who was Thomas's great friend and painted the poet at three key moments, in 1934, 1953 and, posthumously, 1965. Using the portraits as focal points, The Three Lives of Dylan Thomas plots the poet's journey from his birthplace in Swansea to his untimely death in a New York hospital in 1953.
Drawing on a personal archive that includes drawings, diaries, letters and new interviews with Thomas's friends and descendants, as well as with biographers, critics and art historians, Hilly Janes manages to bring to life the poet and his times in this highly original and powerful narrative. This portrait goes beneath the reputation of the feckless, disloyal, boozy Welsh bard to reveal a very complex character. Feckless and disloyal, yes, but also lovable, charming, scholarly, dedicated and vulnerable
299 pages, Hardcover
First published May 8, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 29, 2020
Dylan Thomas was such an interesting poet and one of my favorites. i loved how carefully this was written with plenty of historic photographs. read this book and also watch Christopher Nolan's Interstellar :)
July 23, 2025
A decent enough biography of the life and literary legacy of Thomas by the daughter of Fred Janes, one of his closest friends. I felt like the over abundance of Jane's art in comparison to actual photos of Thomas and the Thomas family spoke of an ulterior motive of the writer though.
August 27, 2014
Very enjoyable and informative book on Thomas, written by the daughter of his friend, the artist Fred Janes.
Fred painted 3 portraits of Thomas, and it is this that gives the book its title.
The author promises us new information about Thomas and his life. I'm not sure she succeeds with the former, but she certainly gives more insight into his circle of often prestigiously talented friends who surrounded him as he grew up and developed his talent.
Thomas's short life has been picked over and dissected endlessly, often concentrating on the more lurid aspects such as his philandering and of course his drinking. However, I think this book gives a pretty balanced view of an immensely difficult, mercurial man.
Dylan's wife Caitlin comes across as every bit as difficult, and the marriage was famously tempestuous - and that's putting it extremely mildly. Caitlin was often described as 'a simmering cauldron of rage' and the violence of their drink fuelled rows is hard to read about. A drunken Caitlin punching an equally drunk but clearly unwell Dylan in the face, and banging his head on the floor is terrible - although of course by the next morning there would be contriteness all round.
The appalling dysfunctional upbringing endured by their 3 children is equally astonishing - they would have been removed from the household by Social Services these days, especially if found left alone in the house at a very young age whilst their parents were at the pub. A regular occurrence!
However there were occasional quieter times that almost bordered on gentle domesticity, and the image of Dylan having his weekly bath lingers in the mind. Caitlin would put the bath rack across the tub and on it she would spread a selection of his favourite savoury snacks, sweets and a bottle of fizzy pop!
It's the centenary of the poet's birth this year,and I'm glad I sought this book out to read.
Fred painted 3 portraits of Thomas, and it is this that gives the book its title.
The author promises us new information about Thomas and his life. I'm not sure she succeeds with the former, but she certainly gives more insight into his circle of often prestigiously talented friends who surrounded him as he grew up and developed his talent.
Thomas's short life has been picked over and dissected endlessly, often concentrating on the more lurid aspects such as his philandering and of course his drinking. However, I think this book gives a pretty balanced view of an immensely difficult, mercurial man.
Dylan's wife Caitlin comes across as every bit as difficult, and the marriage was famously tempestuous - and that's putting it extremely mildly. Caitlin was often described as 'a simmering cauldron of rage' and the violence of their drink fuelled rows is hard to read about. A drunken Caitlin punching an equally drunk but clearly unwell Dylan in the face, and banging his head on the floor is terrible - although of course by the next morning there would be contriteness all round.
The appalling dysfunctional upbringing endured by their 3 children is equally astonishing - they would have been removed from the household by Social Services these days, especially if found left alone in the house at a very young age whilst their parents were at the pub. A regular occurrence!
However there were occasional quieter times that almost bordered on gentle domesticity, and the image of Dylan having his weekly bath lingers in the mind. Caitlin would put the bath rack across the tub and on it she would spread a selection of his favourite savoury snacks, sweets and a bottle of fizzy pop!
It's the centenary of the poet's birth this year,and I'm glad I sought this book out to read.
September 24, 2014
I don't see the point this rather superficial biography is trying to make - Or is it that Dylan Thomas is just an alibi for showing Alfred Janes' art ? (and I have to admit here that I don't like his painting. It's Dylan Thomas I'm interested in !)
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews