This is his superb account of his life up until that bitter leavetaking. It was my bitter leavetaking of england, he wrote in a prologue to the revised second edition of 1957, where i had recently broken a good many conventions. Famous as a war poet, his prose works are on a stage of their own, especially this piece, which is an autobiographical account of graves school days and life as a soldier in the trenches in world war 1. His father was alfred perceval graves, a celebrated irish poet and figure in the gaelic revival. Goodbye to all that, an autobiography by robert graves, first appeared in 1929, when the author was thirtyfour. Robert graves was surely not the first human to feel betrayed by the world, nor was he the first to turn loss into literature. He wrote his autobiography, goodbye to all that, in 1929, and it was soon established as a modern classic. Not being at all familiar with the writing of robert graves, i felt that his autobiography might be an interesting place to start, and i wasnt wrong. Goodbye to all that by robert graves, first edition abebooks. Goodbye to all that, autobiography by robert graves, published in 1929 and revised in 1957.
Goodbye to all that isis series audio, cassette audiobook, unabridged. In this autobiography, first published in 1929, poet robert graves traces the monumental and universal loss of innocence that occurred as a result of the first world war. The first came out in the 20s and was raw and popular and controversial. Robert ranke graves 18951985 was a british poet, novelist, and critic. Walking through trees to cool my heat and pain i know that davids with me here again. In 1929, robert graves 18951985 published his powerful autobiography, goodbye to all that, which was to become one of the most famous books ever written about life in the trenches on the western front.
Divided into anecdotal scenes and satiric episodes, goodbye to all that is infused with a dark humour. Robert graves, who went on to write i, claudius, has given to posterity here one of the all time great insights into the experience of war. The memoir documents not only his own personal experience, as a. Robert graves 18951985 was an english poet, translator, and novelist, one of the leading english men of letters in the twentieth century. Within the annals of the english literary greats, robert graves reputation is formed largely around his great poems of war, written through his active service in the trenches of world war 1 as a young man barely out of his teens. Robert graves died on 7 december 1985 in majorca, his home since 1929. It is considered a classic of the disillusioned postwar generation.
Apr 07, 20 reflecting on his motives for joining the royal welch fusiliers at the outbreak of the first world war, robert graves wrote. Goodbye to all that by robert graves read by martin jarvis sensitive, intelligent books read as sensitively and intelligently as this are. Sep 06, 2007 robert graves searing autobiography and an emotional firsthand account of life in the first world war trenches. I paid so heavily for the fourteen years of my gentlemans education that i feel entitled, now and then, to get some sort of return. Read goodbye to all that by robert graves available from rakuten kobo. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Written after the war and as he was leaving his birthplace, he thought, forever, goodbye to all that bids farewell not only to england and his english family and friends, but also to a way of life. In 1929 robert graves went to live abroad permanently, vowing never to make.
In the interwar years of the 1920s and 1930s several books about world war i came out that have become seminal works in their own right. In goodbye to all that, the british poet robert graves 18951985, best known to american readers as the author of the novel of ancient rome, i claudius, writes the autobiography of his youth, justifiably famous for its eloquent but straightforward depiction of the horrors of wwi. Robert graves wrote his autobiography, goodbye to all that, in 1929, when he was only in his midthirties. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. Robert graves 18951985 was an english novelist, poet, and translator of classical greek and roman literature, and one of the most prominent english writers of the 20th century. Autobiography by robert graves, published in 1929 and revised in 1957. Alex lopez dj jovan walkers hope line nakama cast gunnercast za next move podcast hs 354 video. Reflecting on his motives for joining the royal welch fusiliers at the outbreak of the first world war, robert graves wrote.
The objects of this autobiography, written at the age of thirtythree, are simple enough. Graves, who was a captain in the royal welch fusiliers, writes of his life from. Goodbye to all that audiobooks for free slideshare. Goodbye to all that by robert graves 9,711 ratings, 4. At this point the autobiography ends when graves is 33. Then, almost in flyonthe wall documentary style, he paints devastating portraits of war. He was an extremely prolific writer, who published more than 140 no. Goodbye to all that made by the author during his lifetime.
Robert graves 18951985 was a writer of extraordinary breadth whose output ranges from a classic account of his first world war experiences, goodbye to all that, through the potboiler his own term success of i, claudius, to the poems inspired by his quasimystical devotion to the white goddess. Among these is goodbye to all that by robert graves, his autobiography written and published in 1929 that mainly covers his time as a british officer in the royal welch fusiliers on the western front during the war. Goodbye to all that audiobooks for free robert graves searing autobiography and an emotional firsthand account of life in the first world war. An autobiographical work that describes firsthand the great tectonic shifts in english society following the first world war, robert gravess goodbye to all that is a matchless evocation of the great wars haunting legacy, published in penguin modern classics in 1929 robert graves went to live abroad permanently, vowing never to make england my home again. Goodbye to all that ebook by robert graves rakuten kobo. Goodbye to all that is an autobiography by english poet robert graves, written at the age of 34 and commemorating the occasion of his departure from england to live with his mistress, laura riding. A poet and novelist of some note, he was also a respected classical scholar and translator. I thought that it might last just long enough to delay my going to oxford in october, which i dreaded. First edition, first issue of graves classic autobiography with siegfried sassoons poem on pp. Robert graves first came across the name of roger lamb in 1914, when graves was an english officer instructing his platoon in regimental history. Robert graves searing autobiography and an emotional firsthand account of life in the first world war trenches.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He went from school to the first world war, where he became a captain in the royal welch fusiliers and was seriously wounded at the battle of the somme. Goodbye to all that is the autobiography of robert graves. Goodbye to all that project gutenberg selfpublishing. Lamb was a british soldier who had served his king during the american war of independence, and whose cl. Graves describes how poetry is rooted in the eternal battle between age and youth, male and female, and how the white goddess or earth mother became the muse that inspired generations of european poets. This is his account of his life up until leaving england, from his. Goodbye to all that by robert graves the cultural experience. This book is a tale of three periods of robert gravess life, which spans his childhood, his involvement in wwi and the postwar years between 19181929.
Initially published in 1929, goodbye to all that is the autobiography of author and poet, robert graves. Pdf goodbye to all that book by robert graves free. Born in 1895 into a middleclass english family with many literary and intellectual. The title may also point to the passing of an old order following the cataclysm of the first world war. Gravess superbly sardonic memoir should be essential reading for the centenary of the first world war. Written after the war and as he was leaving his birthplace, he thought, forever, goodbye to all that bids farewell not only to england and his english family and friends, but. In 1929 robert graves was 33 when he wrote his bestselling book, goodbye to all that. So began a five year pause in graves life, in which the main action of his autobiography unfolds. Robert gravess autobiographical masterpiece savages the conduct of the 191418 conflict in a searing satire that at once reviles the fighting and reveres the courage and resourcefulness of the servicemen caught up in it. In 1929 robert graves went to live abroad permanently, vowing never to make england my home again. In goodbye to all that, the british poet robert graves 18951985, best known to american readers as the author of the novel of ancient rome, i claudius, writes the autobiography of his youth, justifiably famous for its eloquent but straightforward depiction of the horrors of wwi, during which graves. A superb and graphic storyteller, graves begins with the petty cruelties of his public school upbringing. When the narrative moves into his experience during the first world war then the great war, the tone becomes ominous.
Goodbye to all that, with its vivid, harrowing descriptions of the western front, is a classic war document, and also has immense value as one of the most candid selfportraits of an artist ever written. Robert graves attempt, in goodbye to all that, to make sense of his own suffering and that of his family and friends has allowed generations. Goodbye to all that by robert graves university of oxford. English poet and novelist robert graves reads an excerpt from the white goddess, a study of anthropology and mythology. Published by penguin classics 2000 an autobiographical work that describes firsthand the great tectonic shifts in english society following the first world war, robert gravess goodbye to all that is a matchless evocation of the great wars haunting legacy, published in penguin modern classics. The second came out in the 50s and was somewhat bowdlerized by the author, because several of the people involved were still alive. There were two editions of this robert graves classic. Goodbye to all that by robert graves in 1929, robert graves 18951985 published his powerful autobiography, goodbye to all that, which was to become one of the most famous books ever written about life in the trenches on the western front goodbye to. Octavo, original red cloth, frontispiece of graves, illustrated with maps and photographs. It chronicles the authors experiences as a student at charterhouse school in london and as a teenaged soldier in. Listen to goodbye to all that by robert graves available from rakuten kobo.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 281 pages and is available in paperback format. He fought in world war i and won international acclaim in 1929 with the publication of his memoir of the first world war, goodbye to all that. Sep 28, 2000 robert graves was born in 1895 in wimbledon. Divided into anecdotal scenes and satiric episodes, goodbye to all that is infused with a dark humor. I like robert graves historical fiction very much, but i did not like this book. Like many of his generation, he served in the british army royal welch fusilliers, to be exact during world war i. Goodbye to all that by robert graves overdrive rakuten. Goodbye to all that by robert graves the 146th greatest. The title expresses graves disillusionment in the existence of traditional, stable values in european and english society.
In biographical form it describes his boyhood in english public school and the heady experience of being a member of the british foreign service in cairo. Revised edition, with text amendments, prologue and epilogue added by the author in 1957. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Written by robert graves, audiobook narrated by martin jarvis. Free download or read online goodbye to all that pdf epub book. I paid so heavily for the fourteen years of my gentlemans education that i. Goodbye to all that autobiography by graves britannica. This is a delightful book to read, graves writing flows effortlessly even when discussing the obscenities of the first world war.
Listen to goodbye to all that audiobook by robert graves. Literature and history goodbye to all that 3 of 5 dr jean. Goodbye to all that is an autobiography by english poet robert graves, written at the age of 34 and commemorating the occasion of his departure. This study guide consists of approximately 86 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of goodbye to all that. Signed by robert graves on the front free endpaper. A famous autobiographical account of life as a young soldier in the first world war trenches. He describes life in the trenches in vivid, raw detail, how the dehumanizing horrors he witnessed left him shellshoc. On the hundredth anniversary of the end of world war i.
Published by penguin classics 2000 an autobiographical work that describes firsthand the great tectonic shifts in english society following the first world war, robert graves s goodbye to all that is a matchless evocation of the great wars haunting legacy, published in penguin modern classics. First published in 1929, the work is a landmark antiwar memoir of life in the trenches during world war i. After the war, he was granted a classical scholarship at oxford and subsequently. Goodbye to all that is an autobiography by robert graves which first appeared in 1929, when the author was 34 years old. In his introduction to the book, author and world war ii veteran paul fussell states that this is the best memoir of the first world war. In one of the most honest and candid selfportraits ever committed to paper, robert graves tells the extraordinary story of his experiences as a young officer in the first world war. I should note that this is a rewritten version of the book. Graves added an epilogue later in which he comments that rereading goodbye to all that is much akin to reading ancient history.
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