Ezra Pound: Poet—Vol. III; The Tragic Years, 1939–1972

As the subtitle suggests, the third volume in Moody’s biography of Ezra Pound depicts some of the most difficult experiences of the poet’s life, from being arrested by U.S. forces in Italy in 1945 on charges of treason, to confinement in a Washington, D.C., mental hospital from 1946 to 1958. Investigating Pound’s fascist sympathies, Moody does not justify Pound’s beliefs or behavior, but does seek to understand them in a more nuanced way than usual. He argues that it is nearer to the truth to label Pound a “Confucian” instead of a fascist, describing an incident in which Pound begged President Truman to let him negotiate a peace treaty with Japan since he (Pound) would be able to appeal “to the ancient culture of Japan.” Through all these travails, Pound worked on the Cantos and translations of Confucius, texts for which Moody ably provides close readings. He paints Pound as a triumphant, not tragic, figure—one who eventually had his indictment for treason dismissed and died not in a psychiatric hospital but in his beloved Italy. Moody’s book provides many invaluable details and numerous insights about the life of a complex and controversial figure. It’s hard to imagine a more comprehensive or impressive biography of Pound will ever be written. (Dec.)