Philip Larkin is the finest English poet of our time. His poetic personality - nostalgic, wry, melancholy, ironic, witty and haunting, has appealed to a far wider audience than that of literary specialists, while also winning the respect of leading critics and fellow poets. This new edition of Lerner's popular study relates Larkin's poetry to his life and to the literary and social environment of post-war Britain. It discusses the Larkin persona, his relation to literary criticism and, above all, seeks to guide readers to a full appreciation of the power and subtlety of his best poems....