The Waste Land: A Poem of Memory and Desire

Professor Gish's book provides a clear, section-by-section analysis and explanation of the symbols, sources, techniques, and themes of "The Waste Land". In contrast to many Waste Land books that seem intent on expounding incomprehensible literary theory, this book brings the poem to life as Eliot's great work of "memory and desire". Ms. Gish does a superb job of challenging unsupportable (but often repeated) notions of the use of myth in the poem. She explores how the final version of the poem was composed out of a series of poetic fragments, written over a long period of time. By showing that the Grail and Fisher King myths apply to only a small part of the poem (mostly in the final section), the reader is forced to re-think the themes and structure that bind the sections together. While never forcing a particular interpretation on the reader, with the help of Ms. Gish's insights, specific examples, and well-written commentary, a "mystifying" poem gradually begins to reveal itself. For students trying to come to grips with the meaning of "The Waste Land", I can think of no better place to start than this book. For people who have already struggled with Eliot's masterpiece and have been frustrated with the cryptic essays written by many so-called literature experts, this book will be a wonderfully refreshing, extremely helpful, and thoroughly elucidating work, a "Rosetta Stone" that will unlock many of The Waste Land's mysteries. As someone who has personally struggled with "The Waste Land" for many years, let me express my heartfelt thanks to Professor Gish for producing her 'must-read' book, "The Waste Land: A Poem of Memory and Desire".