Thomas Gray: A Life

Well, as close as you can get for this member of the 'Graveyard School' of poetry. Very well written and engaging book. Richly detailed in the history and atmosphere of the eighteenth century. All of Gray's (rather short) body of work is touched upon from early translations to his stiching together of lines from other poets (forerunner of William Burroughs cut-up method) to the classic 'Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard'. This book is not a dry read as it relies extensively on the use of the letters of Gray and Horace Walpole among others. Extremely well researched by Mr. Mack. I enjoyed this highly readable book from start to finish and recommended it to anyone with an interest in the "Graveyard School" of poetry or the eighteenth century in general.