Rupert Brooke

by Nigel Jones

Since his death in the First World War, Brooke has been identified with a romantic myth of a lost world where church clocks stood still and there was eternal honey for tea. But, as this book shows, the truth about Brooke was both more shocking and a lot more interesting. Drawing on a mass of documentation, much of it unpublished, this new biography brings out the full story behind one of the century's most enduring literary legends. This book conclusively demolishes the myth of the untarnished golden boy of English poetry. Using original documentation - much from Rupert Brooke's own hand - this biography shows that the poet hailed by Churchill as one of "England's noblest sons" was in reality sexually ambivalent, paranoiac, misogynistic, anti-Semitic, and sometimes plain mad. He was also one of the most gifted spirits of his age who charmed (almost) all who met him. Overturning the carefully crafted image erected by his friends, this is a biography that will change forever one of our most cherished national legends.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

480 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Charles Goodger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent biography. You really get a feel for the man behind the myth. What a shame he had to die so young!

[Jane Scadding · Rating 5 out of 5]

At last a superbly researched and realistic biography of the mythologised "golden haired Apollo" of Brooke's close friend Frances Cornford's sentimental poem. Rupert Brooke's extraordinary intellect is revealed in his massive correspondence with his multitude of friends and lovers/mistresses. We see an emotionally intense and frequently mentally ill young man, burdened with legendary beauty and gifts.

Through his letters, we can observe a how a surfeit of gifts and a narcissistic and sensitive nature led to an extreme level of self-absorption and sometimes emotional cruelties and intense jealousies.

The gifts possessed by this poster boy for the Georgian Poets could be seen from his happy schooldays at Rugby, where Brooke excelled in sport and academia, being admired for his extraordinary charismatic beauty and charm. This success continued at Kings College Cambridge, where Brooke was admitted to the elite Apostles society and became a Fellow by the age of 21. Whilst at Cambridge, Brooke made a large and influential group of like-minded friends
who shared his Fabian and neo-Pagan activities, these friends often overlapping with the Bloomsbury intellectuals whom he came to detest for perceived spite and possible jealousy.

Always gripping, this biography achieved objective and fair analysis, though one never really gets to the crux of such a complex and quixotic personality. Brooke's early and tragic death during the First World War, created a distractingly heroic and sentimental legend around Brooke who never had the opportunity of fulfilling his formidable talents, leaving a short life's work of inevitably fervent immaturity and promise.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story. What a life! Brooke’s life, albeit cut short, was quite the whirl. The biographer captures it well, given insight into a truly amazing character. Brooke comes to life. Forever England, and more.

[Missclimpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting view of pre WWI youth. Strange how many of them suffered from various mental problems. Rupert Brooke has been so respected and almost worshipped, it’s a bit shocking to read what a nasty piece of work he was.

[Maria del Pilar]

A poet who wrote about unpleasant themes.

[Christine Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most interesting.