W.H. Auden encyclopedia /

Izzo is a PhD candidate (English literature, Temple Univ.) and author of other books about Auden (W.H Auden: A Legacy, 2002, and Aldous Huxley & W.H. Auden: On Language, 1998). The bylines following some articles indicate they were written by other scholars. This first Auden encyclopedia concentrates on specific topics at the expense of more general subjects. Personal and literary influences have detailed entries, while individual poems are given brief summaries and well-known works longer treatments. There are no separate entries for homosexuality, mother, or World Wars I and II. These themes are treated in context elsewhere, but their omission as separate topics is troubling, considering their importance to Auden. Part of Izzo's purpose in writing is to "expand Auden to the reader of literature in general," but Auden scholars, who will be most familiar with specific titles in which larger themes are treated, will be aided most. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Graduate students; faculty. M. E. Miller-Lamb Long Island University

W.H. Auden is considered by many to be among the major poets of the 20th century, but he also wrote plays (with Christopher Isherwood), essays, and opera librettos. This A-Z guide covers his life and work in its entirety, featuring several hundred articles, varying in length from a few lines to a few pages, on the themes and subjects of his work (e.g., science, religion), the people he knew or was influenced by (e.g., T.S. Eliot, Edward Upward, Stephen Spender), and various publications (e.g., books, journals) that have featured his work. Most of the articles included were written either by Izzo (The Writings of Richard Stern) or by other Auden scholars. The volume is illustrated throughout with photographs of Auden's contemporaries and literary works. Bottom Line Although many libraries would have appreciated the option to purchase this resource as a more affordable paperback, its comprehensiveness sets it above other one-volume works on literary figures and makes it worth the steep price, especially for college libraries.-Denise Johnson, Bradley Univ., Peoria, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.