The Rural Muse: Studies in the Peasant Poetry of England

London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd, 1954. Hardcover. Very Good. Hardcover. Rayner Unwin (1925-2000) was an English publisher. He was the son of Sir Stanley Unwin, who founded the publishing firm George Allen & Unwin, of which Rayner eventually served as chairman. As a young boy, Unwin served as a test reader for the firm, as his father believed that children were the best judges of what made good children's books. He recommended that his father publish Tolkien's The Hobbit. He was also responsible for the first UK publication of the Roald Dahl children's books James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Unwin was himself a writer. This work, The Rural Muse, is a critical work on English peasant poetry, which covered the work of English peasant poets such as John Clare, George Crabbe and Stephen Duck. In his Preface, Unwin states "Compared with the vigorous poetic output of the peasantry of Scotland and Wales the English peasant -poet sings in a distinctly minor key ..." This is an interesting study of a neglected corner of English poetry. Rayner Unwin also established the Unwin Charitable Trust in 1975. With support of the Booksellers Association, the Trust has a free mentoring programme for small, independent booksellers. 8vo. Tan paper covered boards with green title to spine. Minor fading to top edge of front board and well as top and bottom edge of rear board. Several small and light spots of damp staining to spine. Minor bumping to spine ends. "B15" written very small on top left hand corner of front paste down. Else is clean and bright. Index, 202 pages. Poetry. POET/081109.