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The Three Lives of Dylan Thomas
One of the outstanding literary figures of the twentieth century, the Welsh poet and playwright Dylan Thomas is as famous for his poetry as he is for his dissolute, Bohemian lifestyle and tempestuous personal life. In The Three Lives of Dylan Thomas , journalist Hilly Janes explores the poet’s life and extraordinary legacy through the eyes of her father, the artist Alfred Janes. A member of Thomas’s inner circle, he painted the poet at three key in 1934, 1953, and, posthumously in 1964. Drawing on her own personal archive, including drawings, diaries, letters, and new interviews with Thomas’s friends and descendants, The Three Lives of Dylan Thomas traces the course of the poet’s life, from his birthplace in Swansea to his untimely death in a New York hospital in 1953.
275 pages, Paperback
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