Auden's Prose: 1926-38 v. 1

W.H. Auden's first ten years in the US were marked by rapid and extensive change in his life and thought. He became an American citizen, fell in love with Chester Kallman, and began to reflect on American culture and to explore the ideas of Reinhold Niebuhr and other Protestant theologians. This volume contains every piece of prose that Auden wrote during these years, incuding essays and reviews he published under a pseudonym. Most have never been reprinted in any form since their initial publication in such magazines and newspapers as "Nation", "New Republic", "Common Sense", "Vogue" and the "New York Times". Auden's prose during this period is frequently directly autobiographical even as he comments on literature, psychology, politics, and religion. The writings range from a dialogue about W.B. Yeats, through a respectful parody of Gertrude Stein to Jamesian essays on Henry James. They also include lively and often profound responses to ancient and modern history as well as to contemporary issues in politics and religion. Other highlights include writings on opera and poetry as well as reports of Auden's lectures and the text of an unfinished autobiographical book, "The Prolific and the Devourer". Throughout, Edward Mendelson's extensive editor's notes explain all contemporary and private allusions.