What W.H. Auden Can Do for You

What W.H. Auden Can Do for You - Paperback

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What W.H. Auden Can Do for You
  • What W.H. Auden Can Do for You
What W.H. Auden Can Do for You - Paperback

What W.H. Auden Can Do for You - Paperback

by Alexander McCall Smith
$14.95
$14.95

Book Overview

by Alexander McCall Smith (Author)

Bestselling novelist Alexander McCall Smith's charming account of how the poet W. H. Auden has helped guide his life--and how he might guide yours, too

When facing a moral dilemma, Isabel Dalhousie--Edinburgh philosopher, amateur detective, and title character of a series of novels by best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith--often refers to the great twentieth-century poet W. H. Auden. This is no accident: McCall Smith has long been fascinated by Auden. Indeed, the novelist, best known for his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, calls the poet not only the greatest literary discovery of his life but also the best of guides on how to live. In this book, McCall Smith has written a charming personal account about what Auden has done for him--and what he just might do for you.

Part self-portrait, part literary appreciation, the book tells how McCall Smith first came across the poet's work in the 1970s, while teaching law in Belfast, a violently divided city where Auden's "September 1, 1939," a poem about the outbreak of World War II, strongly resonated. McCall Smith goes on to reveal how his life has related to and been inspired by other Auden poems ever since. For example, he describes how he has found an invaluable reflection on life's transience in "As I Walked Out One Evening," while "The More Loving One" has provided an instructive meditation on unrequited love. McCall Smith shows how Auden can speak to us throughout life, suggesting how, despite difficulties and change, we can celebrate understanding, acceptance, and love for others.

An enchanting story about how art can help us live, this book will appeal to McCall Smith's fans and anyone curious about Auden.

Author Biography

Alexander McCall Smith is the internationally bestselling author of numerous novels, including the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, the Isabel Dalhousie series, the Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, and the 44 Scotland Street series. His books have been translated into forty-six languages. Formerly a professor of medical law, he now devotes himself to writing. He lives in Scotland.

Number of Pages: 152
Dimensions: 0.55 x 7.17 x 4.41 IN
Publication Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN9780691234533
Author Alexander McCall Smith
PublisherPrinceton University Press
GenreBiography and Literature
FormatPaperback
PublishedJuly 2022
LanguageENG- English
Pages152
Weight1.0 lb
Target AudienceAdults
Print SizeStandard Print

Related Subjects

Biography & Autobiography Literary Criticism Nonfiction Poetry

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About Alexander McCall Smith

ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH is the author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels and a number of other series and stand-alone books. His works have been translated into more than forty languages and have been bestsellers throughout the world. He lives in Scotland.

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