About A Shropshire Lad

A Shropshire Lad was first published in 1896 at A. E. Housman's own expense. The collection of lyrical poems became hugely successful following the Second Boer War and World War I, with themes such as nostalgia for one's home and the patriotic celebration of the life of the soldier striking a chord with English readers.

This collection contains Housman's greatest works, demonstrating the lyrical precision and emotional depth of his writing. It includes To an Athlete Dying Young, a lyrical elegy to a life lost at its prime and When I was One-and-Twenty, a love poem on the ignorance of youth.