Discover new books on Goodreads

See if your friends have read any of Denise Levertov's books

Denise Levertov’s Followers (174)

Denise Levertov

Born

in Ilford, Esses, The United Kingdom

October 24, 1923

Died

December 20, 1997

Influences

William Carlos Williams, Black Mountain Poets, Charles Olson, Ezra Pou ...more

edit data

American poet Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England. Her mother, Beatrice Spooner-Jones Levertoff, was Welsh. Her father, Paul Levertoff, from Germany migrated to England as a Russian Hassidic Jew, who, after converting to Christianity, became an Anglican parson. At the age of 12, she sent some of her poems to T. S. Eliot, who replied with a two-page letter of encouragement. In 1940, when she was 17, Levertov published her first poem.

During the Blitz, Levertov served in London as a civilian nurse. Her first book, The Double Image, was published six years later. In 1947 she married American writer Mitchell Goodman and moved with him to the United States in the following year. Although Levertov and Goodman would eventually divorc American poet Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England. Her mother, Beatrice Spooner-Jones Levertoff, was Welsh. Her father, Paul Levertoff, from Germany migrated to England as a Russian Hassidic Jew, who, after converting to Christianity, became an Anglican parson. At the age of 12, she sent some of her poems to T. S. Eliot, who replied with a two-page letter of encouragement. In 1940, when she was 17, Levertov published her first poem.

During the Blitz, Levertov served in London as a civilian nurse. Her first book, The Double Image, was published six years later. In 1947 she married American writer Mitchell Goodman and moved with him to the United States in the following year. Although Levertov and Goodman would eventually divorce, they had a son, Nickolai, and lived mainly in New York City, summering in Maine. In 1955, she became a naturalized American citizen.

During the 1960s and 70s, Levertov became much more politically active in her life and work. As poetry editor for The Nation, she was able to support and publish the work of feminist and other leftist activist poets. The Vietnam War was an especially important focus of her poetry, which often tried to weave together the personal and political, as in her poem "The Sorrow Dance," which speaks of her sister's death. Also in response to the Vietnam War, Levertov joined the War Resister’s League.

Much of the latter part of Levertov’s life was spent in education. After moving to Massachusetts, Levertov taught at Brandeis University, MIT and Tufts University. On the West Coast, she had a part-time teaching stint at the University of Washington and for 11 years (1982-1993) held a full professorship at Stanford University. In 1984 she received a Litt. D. from Bates College. After retiring from teaching, she traveled for a year doing poetry readings in the U.S. and England.

In 1997, Denise Levertov died at the age of 74 from complications due to lymphoma. She was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, Washington.

Levertov wrote and published 20 books of poetry, criticism, translations. She also edited several anthologies. Among her many awards and honors, she received the Shelley Memorial Award, the Robert Frost Medal, the Lenore Marshall Prize, the Lannan Award, a grant from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. ...more

Combine Editions
Denise Levertov’s books

Average rating: 4.1 · 7,059 ratings · 776 reviews · 168 distinct works • Similar authors

	Selected Poems by Denise Levertov, Paul A. Lacey (Editor), Robert Creeley (Preface by) 4.19 avg rating — 688 ratings — published 1986 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Stream and the Sapphire: Selected Poems on Religious Themes 4.40 avg rating — 344 ratings — published 1997 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	This Great Unknowing 4.17 avg rating — 331 ratings — published 1977 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Breathing the Water 4.18 avg rating — 316 ratings — published 1987 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Poems of Denise Levertov, 1960-1967 4.33 avg rating — 205 ratings — published 1983 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Evening Train: Poetry 4.26 avg rating — 170 ratings — published 1992 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sands of the Well 4.13 avg rating — 151 ratings — published 1996 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Poems, 1968-1972 4.30 avg rating — 144 ratings — published 1987 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	تقضمنا الحياة بثغورها الصغيرة by Denise Levertov, سامر أبو هواش (ترجمة), دنيس ليفرتوف 2.64 avg rating — 207 ratings — published 2009 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Collected Earlier Poems 1940-1960 4.17 avg rating — 123 ratings — published 1979 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Denise Levertov…

Benjamin Alire Sáenz, author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and many other award-winning YA and children's books,...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
All About Books: * General Information, Master Schedule & Links	4	282	Oct 25, 2014 02:56AM
All About Books: The Monday Poetry Catalogue	4	74	Jan 11, 2015 04:46AM
All About Books: April 2015 - what will you be reading?	64	56	May 09, 2015 09:36PM
All About Books: Change in nominations process	6	61	May 14, 2015 07:50AM
All About Books: Our Spring Poet: Denise Levertov (21st March - 20th June)	42	47	Jun 10, 2015 02:21PM
Queereaders: Greetings from NYC!	18	48	Jul 10, 2015 12:01PM
The Reading For P...: * A Literary Diary - what happened today in literary history?	955	180	Oct 15, 2015 11:51AM
2026 Reading Chal...: December Challenge: Advent Calendar	336	442	Jan 06, 2016 07:05AM

More…

Denise Levertov’s Followers (174)

Denise Levertov

Combine EditionsDenise Levertov’s books

Related News

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
Denise Levertov’s books