War Poet: The Life of Alan Seeger and His Rendezvous with Death

In this enlightening look at the life of American poet Alan Seeger (1888–1916), historian Hill (Elihu Washburne) chronicles the events that influenced this important but now little-remembered voice. Hill follows Seeger from his boyhood in New York City and Cuernavaca, Mexico, to his formative years attending Harvard and, postgraduation, moving to Greenwich Village to pursue a career as a poet. Seeger, Hill shows, truly blossomed as a writer after deciding to move to France. He also felt a profound affinity for his newly adopted country and, upon the outbreak of WWI, enthusiastically enlisted in the Foreign Legion. What follows is the heart of Hill’s account, as Seeger entered a period of prolific writing both in anticipation of and during his service. Hill does an admirable job tracing Seeger’s journey up to his death at the Somme in 1916 and includes photographs of Seeger at various points in his life, and of some of the places he saw, which help the reader better understand Seeger’s world. Hill also shares some of the poet’s best works, including the piece referenced in the book’s subtitle, “I Have a Rendezvous with Death,” reportedly John F. Kennedy’s favorite poem. A wonderful introduction to a fine poet, this slim volume will bring Seeger’s work to a new generation of readers. (BookLife)