Taking as its starting point Delmore Schwartz's self-appointment as both a 'poet of the Hudson River' and 'laureate of the Atlantic,' this book comprehensively reassesses the poetic achievement of a critically neglected writer. Runchman reads Schwartz's poetry in relation to its national and international perspectives.

'As evidenced by Alex Runchman's skillfully and thoroughly researched book, an argument on the behalf of the lesser-known American poet, Delmore Schwartz, can be made, should be made, and has now been made here. Organized, pithy, and direct, Alex Runchman's clear and well-executed study deserves transatlantic attention.' -Stephen Burt, Professor of English, Harvard University, USA

Autorentext
Alex Runchman is Associate Lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

Inhalt
Introduction 1. The Greatest Thing in North America: 'International Consciousness' or 'The Isolation of Modern Poetry'? 2. In Dreams Begin Responsibilities : "The egocentric predicament' 3. The Land of the Old World failure and the New World Success: Genesis and 'America! America!' 4. An Innocent Bystander: The City, Vaudeville for a Princess , and Schwartz's Post-War Cultural Criticism 5. Summer Knowledge: 'Infinite belief in infinite hope' Conclusion