From Blake to Wordsworth to Woolstonecroft and Walpole, this volume in the "York Notes Companions" series gives an accessible introduction to Romantic literature with essential guides to themes, contexts, and literary criticism.

From Blake to Wordsworth to Woolstonecroft and Walpole, this volume in the York Notes Companions series gives an accessible introduction to Romantic literature with essential guides to themes, contexts, and literary criticism.

• This book contains a wealth of essential information to create a complete guide to the period and is part of the first series to offer a comprehensive and accessible overview to the period
• Dr John Gilroy is an experienced lecturer and author who has published extensively in the field
• The book contains features to improve the reader's understanding, including annotated timelines, bibliographies, and further reading
  

First published in 1983, this books aims to guide Wordsworth students through his difficult masterpiece by reading it in continuous sequence and making its sense emerge. The special value of this commentary is that it explains the structure of The Prelude by encouraging study of the poem as a continuous whole rather than selectively looking at individual sections - an approach that has typified modern criticism of the work. This depends upon a close attention to the careful arrangement of the verse paragraphs, all of which make an indispensable contribution to the overall thought pattern, thus leading to a fuller appreciation and understanding of the poem.

First published in 1983, this books aims to guide Wordsworth students through his difficult masterpiece by reading it in continuous sequence and making its sense emerge. The special value of this commentary is that it explains the structure of The Prelude by encouraging study of the poem as a continuous whole rather than selectively looking at individual sections - an approach that has typified modern criticism of the work. This depends upon a close attention to the careful arrangement of the verse paragraphs, all of which make an indispensable contribution to the overall thought pattern, thus leading to a fuller appreciation and understanding of the poem.

This book explores the significance of flight to Romantic literature. Although the Romantic movement and the age of ballooning coincided, there has been a curious and long-time tendency to forget that flight was not impossible during this period. This study details the importance of this new technology to Romantic authors, primarily English Romantic poets. It combines accounts of the exploits and experiences of early balloonists with references to Romantic texts, using ballooning lore to illuminate a range of Romantic writings. The balloonists are seen as not just supplying these writers with a new code of metaphors, but as colleagues engaged in similarly imaginative enterprises. The book uncovers an 'aerial imagination' shared by a large number of writers in the Romantic period that has its origins in the balloon adventures of the 1780s and following two decades. It will appeal to scholars and students of Romantic cultural history, as well as those interested in Romantic poetry and the history of early aeronautics.

This is the second volume in this series which is produced in a tribute format to the ABC Combined volumes published by Ian Allan and so much loved by enthusiasts throughout Britain in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Still they are much revered and remembered by their owners many of whom have kept them over all these years. John Gilroy follows fellow enthusiast David Mather in bringing to print his memories of those now seemingly far off days, hanging off the ends of platforms, bridges and similar vantage points all in the pursuit of steam. Illustrated with images taken at the time, on the affordable camera of the teenage enthusiasts and on the film stock available; this volume will once again rekindle those memories of happy trainspotting days. Centered this time in the North Eastern area of British railways, but with forays further afield, this volume has the delights of Ex-LNER A1s, A2s, A3s and A4s on main line duties and a plethora of other types on lowly shunting duties and of course the all important Freight turns recorded as seen. Shed visits or bashes as they were known coupled with train journeys behind steam, aided the young Mr Gilmore in his quest for steam loco numbers to underline in his Ian Allan Combined Volume. This like the first in the series promises to be a popular volume for rail buffs and nostalgia enthusiasts alike.

Our best-selling poetry introduction offers a detailed commentary on the poetry of Philip Larkin, exploring the political and cultural contexts which have shaped his contemporary reputation. Part 1, Life and Times, traces Larkin's early years and follows his development, within his career as a university librarian, into one of the most important and popular voices in twentieth-century poetry. Part 2, Artistic Strategies, explores a range of methodologies and aesthetic influences by which Larkin was empowered to create poetry at once both accessible and profound. Part 3, Reading Larkin, provides detailed critical commentary on many of the poems from his three major collections, The Less Deceived, The Whitsun Weddings and High Windows. Part 4, Reception, outlines the history of Larkin's reputation from the mid-1950s to the present, examining the debates to which his poetry has given rise. John Gilroy teaches at Anglia Ruskin University and for the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.