Maverick gay poetic icon Thom Gunn (1929-2004) and his body of work have long dared the British and American poetry establishments either to claim or disavow him. To critics in the United Kingdom and United States alike, Gunn demonstrated that formal poetry could successfully include new speech rhythms and open forms, and that experimental styles could still maintain technical and intellectual rigor. Along the way, Gunn's verse captured the social upheavals of the 1960s, the existential possibilities of the late twentieth century, and the tumult of post-Stone-wall gay culture. The first book-length study of this major poet, "At the Barriers" surveys Gunn's career from his youth in 1930s Britain to his final years in California, from his earliest publications to his later unpublished notebooks, bringing together some of the most important poet-critics from both sides of the Atlantic to assess his oeuvre. This landmark volume traces how Gunn, in both his life and his writings, pushed at boundaries, be they geographic, sexual, or poetic. "At the Barriers" will solidify Gunn's rightful place in the pantheon of Anglo-American letters.

About the Author
Joshua Weiner is associate professor of English and the director of the English Honors Program at the University of Maryland. He is the author of two books of poetry, The World's Room and From the Book of Giants, both published by the University of Chicago Press.


Book Information
ISBN 9780226890449
Author Joshua Weiner
Format Paperback
Page Count 344
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 510g
Dimensions(mm) 23mm * 15mm * 2mm