Philip Larkin (1922-1985)

A selective list of online literary criticism for the twentieth-century English poet Philip Larkin, favoring signed scholarly articles and articles from peer-reviewed sources

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introduction

"Philip Larkin." Poetry Foundation. Encyclopedia-type introduction to Larkin, his biography, themes, and techniques, with text for some of his most famous poems.

"Philip Larkin." Poetry Archive. Directors, Andrew Motion & Richard Carrington.

The Philip Larkin Society. Ed. James Booth. The web site has critical essays from About Larkin, links to additional newspaper reviews and articles, a biography, a bibliography, a discussion list and more.

Regan, Stephen. "Philip Larkin." 16 November, 2002. Literary Encyclopedia. Eds. Robert Clark, Emory Elliott, Janet Todd. An introduction to Larkin, from a database that provides signed literary criticism by experts in their field, and is available to individuals for a reasonably-priced subscription [sub ser].

literary criticism

Bayley, John. "Larkin, Pym and Romantic Sympathy." About Larkin 14 (2002). Says Bayley, in Larkin "humour becomes a part, and often the most important part, of what might be termed a new Romanticism. 'At thirty-one, when some are rich,/ And others dead/ I, being neither, have a job instead.'"

Brett, Raymond. "Philip Larkin at Hull: A Psycho-Literary Sketch." About Larkin 7 (1999). A memoir of Larkin by Brett, who was Professor of English at the U of Hull during the time Larkin was a librarian there.

Burt, Stephen. "High Windows and Four-Letter Words." Boston Review, Oct. 1996. On "This Be The Verse" and Larkin's inventive use of profanity.

Burt, Stephen. "The Poet of Dirty Words." Slate, 27 May, 2004.

Goodman, Richard. "My particular Talents: Larkin's 42 year career as Librarian." About Larkin 4 (1997).

Hartley, Jean. "Philip Larkin and me, or you: the democratic appeal of his poetry." A talk delivered at the University of Hull on 15 November 2000. Philip Larkin Society.

Kamitani, Suzuyo. "Jane Exall,'A Bosomy English Rose.'" On Larkin's correspondence with Jane Exall, who used to frequent the Library where Larkin worked. About Larkin 16 (2003).

Kenyon, John. "Larkin at Hull." About Larkin 6 (1998). Larkin's tenure as a librarian at U of Hull.

Mackinnon, Lachlan. "Reading Between the Lines." A review of Further Requirements, a posthumous collection of Larkin's prose. The Guardian, 30 Sept. 2001.

Motion, Andrew. "A Fanfare for the Common Man." The Guardian 5 July 2003.

Neumann, Fritz-Wilhelm. "The Poet of Political Incorrectness: Larkin's Satirical Stance on the Sexual-Cultural Revolution of the 1960s." EESE 4 (2003).

Orwin, James L. "Philip Larkin." Philip Larkin Society. A brief biography.

Porteous, J. Douglas. "Nowhereman." About Larkin 8 (1999). On Larkin's geography and sense of place.

Raine, Craig. "A Tribute to the Late Poet Philip Larkin." The Guardian, 3 December 1985.

Reiss, Edward. "Poetry and Prejudice: Sexual Politics in 'Sunny Prestatyn.'" About Larkin 7 (1999).

Shaw, Robert B. "Philip Larkin: A Stateside View." Poetry Nation 6 (1976).

Tolley, Trevor. "On First Looking into Larkin's 'The Less Deceived.'" A paper delivered at the Larkin in Context Conference, 2002.

Weldon, Dave. Close reading of Larkin's "Arrival," by poet Dave Weldon, Sept. 2001.

"Bibliography." Philip Larkin Society. A primary and secondary bibliography for Larkin.

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