Biography Resources for the Poet Henry Reed

Biographies of Henry Reed. Links to enyclopedic entries, book excerpts, journal and newspaper articles, and other work providing insight to Reed's life, career, and accomplishments:

Against Oblivion:

Reed's chapter from Ian Hamilton's survey of twentieth-century poets, with analysis and biography.

Audio of The Complete Lessons of the War:

Listen to BBC recordings of Henry Reed and actor Frank Duncan reading "The Complete Lessons of the War."

The Author:

Bailey writes a remembrance of Reed's time at Bletchley Park during the Second World War.

British Poetry of the Second World War:

Mentioned several times in discussing British poetry of World War II, Shires looks at "Naming of Parts" at some length.

British Radio Drama:

"The Radio Plays of Henry Reed," a chapter by Roger Savage, detailing Reed's comedic and dramatic work for the BBC, with a bibliography of his plays.

British Writers:

Discusses Reed's contribution to the poetry of the Second World War.

Collected Poems:

Poet Jon Stallworthy's critical and biographical introduction to the Collected Poems.

A Collection-level Description for the Papers of Henry Reed :

Description of The Papers of Henry Reed collection, held at University of Birmingham Special Collections.

Contemporary Authors:

This encyclopedic entry has a short biography of Reed, and a bibliography which includes an extensive list of his radio dramas.

Contemporary Poets:

Poet Elizabeth Jennings' analysis of Reed's poetry, with a brief biography and a lengthy bibliography.

Critical Survey of Poetry:

Harold Branam's entry for Reed includes a biography, analysis of the central works, and a brief bibliography.

The Daily Telegraph (London):

Reed's obituary in the Telegraph.

Dedication to Hilda Tablet and Others:

Dedicatory letter to George D. Painter in the collection Hilda Tablet and Others.

The Dictionary of Literary Biography:

Douglas Cleverdon's biographical note, focusing on Reed's radio drama, with a brief bibliography.

The Dictionary of National Biography:

A biography of Reed by poet Jon Stallworthy, with comments on the poems, radio plays, and translations.

Foreword to The Streets of Pompeii:

Reed's foreword to his collection of radio drama The Streets of Pompeii and Other Plays for Radio.

The Guardian (Manchester), Dec. 1986:

Richard Boston's obituary for Reed remembers him as the playwright and the poet.

The Guardian (Manchester), Nov. 1971:

An excellent interview with Reed, for a retrospective of the Hilda Tablet series of radio plays.

The Hilda Tablet Plays:

An introduction to the seven-part cycle of radio plays written by Reed for the BBC between 1953 and 1959. External link.

Horizon:

Reed's answer to a questionnaire about life as a writer.

I Am My Brother:

John Lehmann considers Reed's poems, and reflects on their early correspondence.

The Independent (London):

Obituary written by Reed's friend and colleague, Douglas Cleverdon.

The Independent (London) on Sunday:

Jenkins feels that Reed's best poetry displays 'a special feeling for romantic potentiality, the moment before something tremendous happens or after it has receded.'

Introduction to Dialstone Lane:

Reed writes high praise for W.W. Jacobs, author of "The Monkey's Paw," for his precision and economy of style, in this 1947 introduction to one of his longer stories.

London Magazine, April/May 1992:

Lomas found Reed's poetry boring in 1946, and he finds little more redeeming about it in 1992: 'Reed is simply not interesting enough linguistically.'

London Review of Books, Dec. 1991:

Frank Kermode's evaluation of the Collected Poems, with personal reminiscences of Reed in London and Seattle.

London Review of Books, Oct. 1991:

A letter to the editor from Ed Leimbacher recalls Reed's days as a visiting professor in Seattle.

Map of the Life and Times of Henry Reed:

An interactive Google map displaying places and events relating to Reed's life and work.

Memories of Henry Reed:

Allen's reminiscences of Reed, in Birmingham, Seattle, and London.

Modern British Poetry:

A brief biography outlining Reed's radio plays, poetry, and translations.

The New York Times Book Review:

Harvey Breit's 1947 review of A Map of Verona and Other Poems.

Not Without Glory:

Vernon Scannell's commentary on Reed's series of poems, Lessons of the War.

The Oxford Companion:

A short, but admirably thorough biography of Reed, focusing on the Lessons of the War, but also touching on the translations and radio plays.

The Penguin Book of Contemporary Verse:

A brief, flattering biographical note by poet and editor Kenneth Allott: "Naming of Parts" and "Judging Distances" are 'among the best and most intelligent poems produced during the war.'

Piling Swivel FAQ:

Essay on the lowly and peculiar piling swivel, featured in Reed's "Naming of Parts."

PN Review:

This 1992 review of the Collected Poems portrays Reed as an anachronism whose later work could never compare to his 'outstanding' earlier poems.

Preface to Moby Dick: A Play for Radio:

Reed's preface to his adaptation of Melville's novel for BBC radio.

Remembering Elizabeth Bishop:

Interviews with Reed's acquaintances Henry Carlisle, William Matchett, Robert Heilman, Dorothee Bowee, and M. Taylor Bowee.

Research Libraries Bulletin:

Newsletter article profiling the collection of Reed's papers, manuscripts and letters at the University of Birmingham. External link, .pdf file.

The Sunday Telegraph, December 1986:

Derwent May, former editor at the Listener, reminisces about Henry Reed, shortly after his death in 1986.

The Sunday Times (London):

Brownjohn feels Reed's 'shorter lyric pieces... [are] coherent and approachable, carefully shaped, both tender and sinister in mood.'

Timeline of Henry Reed's Life:

Major events in Reed's life listed by year, including his publications, travels, and productions of his radio plays and translations.

The Times (London), Dec. 1986:

Reed's obituary, and notice of memorial funeral service.

Touchstones:

The poet Marvin Bell considers Reed's "Naming of Parts," comparing it with his own experience training and serving in the U.S. Army.

Under Siege:

Contains an excellent examination of the 'military/poetic' problem in Reed's "Judging Distances," and "Unarmed Combat."

Who's Who 1987-1988:

Reed himself contributed the abbreviated information for his entry in Who's Who.

Wikipedia:

A short, encyclopedic biography of Reed, with links to related names and terms. External link.

World Authors 1950-1970:

Biography of Reed, with commentary on his major works and a short bibliography.