Poems in the Porch: The Radio Poems of John Betjeman - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1847063284 ISBN 13: 9781847063281

Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic, 2008

Synopsis

Between 1953-57, John Betjeman read a series of poems on 'The Faith in the West' program airing on the BBC's West of England Home Service. This series, called 'Poems in the Porch,' was so popular that Betjeman received constant requests to publish the poems. Although he deprecatingly referred to the poems as mere 'verses', Betjeman at last capitulated to the public. The result was a slim volume of six poems, entitled Poems in the Porch. What few people now realize is that Betjeman read at least 20 original poems on the radio in this series, perhaps even more, although owing to the haphazard records of both the BBC and Betjeman himself it is impossible to reconstruct with complete accuracy the history of this series. Kevin Gardner has been able to identify and collect 26 of these poems and has written a fascinating introductory essay recounting the story of Betjeman as a radio poet and discussing the artistry of these poems. Most have never been published and currently exist only in manuscript. We know for certain of 20 occasions when Betjeman read his poems on the 'Faith in the West' program, and of these we know 16 specific titles. Despite the gap between the BBC records on the one hand and the printed and manuscript texts on the other, Gardner has been able to construct a relatively reliable edition of Betjeman's Poems in the Porch.This book will cause a radical reassessment of his canon and will create great waved n the Betjeman community.

About this title

About the Author:

Kevin Gardner is Professor of English Literature at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is currently writing a scholarly monograph on Betjeman's Christian imagination.

Review:

Title mention in The Observer, January 2008

Extract in The Times.

"...in this slim volume...you are re-entering a world where Sundays were actually days of rest, and the dear old C of E was firmly planted at the heart of the community." Church Times, 28 November 2008 (Caroline Bowder Church Times)

'...a fascinating book and a must for fans of Betjeman.' 25 December 2008 (Methodist Recorder)

"It is delightful to see Poems in the Porch in print again - they contain some of Betjeman's funniest writing and best-aimed satire. Here, too are some poems that have never seen the light of day - real gems." Betjemen Society

"I congratulate Professor Gardner and his publishers for their enterprise in bringing out this scholarly and entertaining little book"4 october 2008 (Christopher Howse The Daily Telegraph)

mention in TLS, 3 October 2008 (Tls)

Extracts, 19 December 2008 (Church Times)

"In this slim volume you are once again in a world where Sunday was a day of rest and the Church of England was the centre of the community. These 22 poems are truly little gems and if you haven't met Betjeman before, this is a good introduction."East Riding News, February 2010

"...in this slim volume...you are re-entering a world where Sundays were actually days of rest, and the dear old C of E was firmly planted at the heart of the community." Church Times, 28 November 2008 (Sanford Lakoff Church Times)

About this edition

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1847063284
• ISBN 13: 9781847063281
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 152
• Editor: Gardner Kevin