Robert Frost Himself

The unfortunately influential ""monster-myth'' created by the poet's ``official'' biographer Lawrance Thompson stands here convincingly corrected. Spurred by Frost's injunction, ``I'm counting on you to protect me from Larry,'' Burnshawpoet, friend of Frost and editor of his last book of poems and Selected Lettersuses hitherto unpublished material, personal reminiscence, a wide variety of critical opinions and Thompson's own recently released biographical notes to provide a view of the complex, elusive Frost, as poet and person, that is at once searching and balanced. Against the jealousy, competitiveness and ``bursts of bad behavior'' emphasized by Thompson are set the generosity, the humor and the legendary ``talk-spiels,'' plus the poetic subtlety that Thompson, charges Burnshaw, failed to understand. A final chapter contains sharp assessments of Frost by fellow poets and a firework display of his thoughts on poetry. Photos. (October 10)