Abstract

Philip Arthur Larkin was an English poet and novelist His first book of poetry The North Ship was published in 1945 followed by two novels Jill 1946 and A Girl in Winter 1947 but he came to prominence in 1955 with the publication of his second collection of poems The Less Deceived followed by The Whitsun Weddings 1964 and High Windows 1974 He contributed to The Daily Telegraph as its jazz critic from 1961 to 1971 articles gathered together in All What Jazz A Record Diary 1961 71 1985 and he edited The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse 1973 He was the recipient of many honours including the Queen s Gold Medal for Poetry He was offered but declined the position of poet laureate in 1984 following the death of John Betjeman