In Praise of Charles Williams

Sir Geoffrey Hill's review of Grevel Lindop's study of Williams is critical of the subtitle of the book, yet gives Lindop credit for writing a full biography, taking into account the material conditions of Williams's childhood and adulthood.

Along the way, reading this review one learns of the beneficial influence of editor Anne Ridler on "Williams's later poetry." For Hill, the "spiritual shocker" novels by Williams are still worth the read. And he particularly recommends Williams's critical works, The English Poetic Mind (1932) and Reason and Beauty in the Poetic Mind (1933).

Williams is "powerful and weird in essential ways." Find out more:

Geoffrey Hill, "Charles Williams: mightier and darker" TLS (23 March 2016).