Philip Larkin's Poetics Philip Larkin was born in Coventry, England, in 1922. He was (and still is) one of the most well-known and widely read poets in England, yet his writing and personal politics are also quite controversial.
Larkin wrote nearly continuously throughout his adult life, but he also made his living as a librarian for several university libraries. He never married and was known for being a bit of a recluse.
In addition to poetry, Larkin had a lifelong admiration for jazz, evidenced by
his nonfiction book, All What Jazz: A Record Diary. Although he received and accepted numerous awards for his writing, Larkin refused to accept the nomination as England's Poet Laureate.When Larkin died from cancer in 1985, a great deal of his poems were left
unpublished. However, Anthony Thwaite edited a book of Larkin's collected poems, many of which were previously unpublished. Thwaite also edited a collection of Larkin's personal correspondence. The publishing of the book of letters sparked many people in the literary realm to question his character, accusing him of being racist and misogynist. This questioning in turn caused readers to question the quality of his poetry. However, Larkin remains a powerful and well-known figure in contemporary poetry.