A Shropshire Lad
A Shropshire Lad, published at the author's expense in 1896, is the first book of poems by A. E. Housman, a Latin professor who had failed his Oxford degree. The sixty-three short lyrics speak in the voice of a country boy from the border hills, a landscape Housman barely knew, about young men who go for soldiers, lovers who die or betray, suicides, hangings, cricket and ale, and the brevity of spring and life. The poems are plain in diction and strict in form, with echoes of ballad, hymn and Latin epigram, and their stoic melancholy made them, slowly and then enormously, popular, above all with soldiers of the First World War. This edition carries an introduction by William Stanley Braithwaite. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first poems are free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about A Shropshire Lad
A Shropshire Lad by A. E. Housman can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read A Shropshire Lad online?
Yes. A Shropshire Lad opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is A Shropshire Lad free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of A Shropshire Lad is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is A Shropshire Lad in the public domain?
Yes. A Shropshire Lad by A. E. Housman is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read A Shropshire Lad?
About 37 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is A Shropshire Lad?
A Shropshire Lad by A. E. Housman is filed under "Poetry" in the Vinteuil library.
