Dylan Thomas In America

When the celebrated Welsh poet Dylan Thomas arrived in New York on his first visit in 1950 for a tour of poetry readings around the country America didn t know what had hit it. Angelic devilish immoral charming self-destructive given to alcoholic binges he was not what the sober world of American academe had expected. Students loved himalthough after his first few encounters with them the girls had to be protected. And he made quick friends with countless American writers journalists and barflies instantly creating a pop-culture mythology of the doomed artist for the late 20th century. The man who was Thomas patron and guide was the young poet John Malcolm Brinnin who watched horrifiedthough utterly beguiled by the poet s charm and geniusat Thomas slow descent into hell. This is his harrowing account of the poet s tragic last years.