Selected Prose

T. S. Eliot, Nobel Laureate, renowned poet, playwright, and essay­ist, is a towering figure in twentieth century literature. The eloquence and profundity of his works are no less evident in his critical prose than in his plays and poetry. Eliot, in mature retrospect, per­ceived his prose in three groups­ "essays in generalization," "appreci­ations of individual authors," and "social and religious criticism." Frank Kermode has followed this prescription in selecting thirty-one essays from Eliot's extensive prose published over a half century of social change and intellectual dis­covery. Every selection had previ­ously been designated by Eliot for its particular significance. Each is pre­sented in its entirety or in substantial extracts. Chronology of publication is followed within each group. The result is a volume that, with the editor's masterly introduction and notes, reveals the development of a brilliant man, his original ideas, his cogent conclusions, and his con­summate skill and graceful language.