The Life of Walter de la Mare

by Theresa Whistler

Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) is the writer of his age most in need of reappraisal. Well-known in his lifetime, with a wide circle of literary friends, including Edward Thomas, Rupert Brooke, Katherine Mansfield and Thomas Hardy, he has been largely ignored by recent critics. Few know of his personal life, of his loving but difficult marriage, and his passionate, platonic affair with Naomi Ryde-Smith, which was so crucial to his poetry. De la Mare wrote prolifically for both children and adults—short stories, novels, volumes of poetry and a number of remarkable anthologies. In The Life of Walter de la Mare, Theresa Whistler provides us with a remarkable and often moving reassessment of the man and his work.

Genres: Biography

Paperback

First published May 1, 2004

Reviews

[Eddie Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only bio I know of on de la Mare, so infinitely valuable for that alone. But using this book as the sole source of info, one has to conclude that WdlM became fairly boring once he achieved fame and had to stop working for a living.

[Muriel Schwenck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice bio.