Matthew Arnold: A Literary Life (Literary Lives Series)

Rating:
Summary: The number one book to read on Arnold
Review: This is a compact, intelligent account of Arnold's work and life. It is not just a narrative; it argues for the pervasive power of Arnold's spiritual search throughout his work, from the poetry, to the cultural criticism, to the neglected religious criticism. If you want to know more about Arnold, this is the book to read: less dense than the Trilling biography, more intellectual than the Hamilton and Honan biographies, and better than any student introduction.