Book summary

This life of Hughes (1930-1998), the late Poet Laureate of England, begins in his pre-Plath days in the Yorkshire Pennines, when his brother accompanied him out onto the moors to access a greater view of the world at large. It follows him through two years of national service, his schooling at Cambridge, his infamous marriage to Plath, and his ascension to the laureateship. A New York Times Notable Book for 2002.

Media reviews

"A contemporary of Hughes at Cambridge, a distinguished biographer and translator, and a poet in her own right, Feinstein is well placed to tell his story...The complications of Hughes's heart aren't easily explained, and it's enough for now that Feinstein finds a tone that isn't glib or punitive....[P]leasingly brief, even-tempered and unsensationalist....Well worth reading...."