Being Betjeman

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When did you last hear of a poetry book selling in the millions? Since 1958, when John Betjeman's Collected Poems was published, sales have exceeded 2.5 million and continue to thrive. Upon his death in 1984, he remained the UK's favorite poet, as acknowledged by Philip Larkin. Betjeman was not only a poet but also a broadcaster and architectural campaigner, making him a celebrity. Yet, his life was marked by insecurities, frustrations, and troubled relationships. He felt undervalued, famously stating that he was "not taken seriously by the TLS." Jonathan Smith, a successful novelist, playwright, and educationalist, wrote two radio plays about Betjeman's life, first broadcast on the BBC in 2017. These have been combined into a single narrative that blends biography and fiction, offering an extraordinary and entertaining glimpse into Betjeman's mind and life. The narrative traces his journey from Oxford, where he wandered with a teddy bear, to his brief stint as a Prep School master, and his unfortunate marriage to Penelope Chetwode, who preferred horses to humans. It also explores his lengthy affair with Lady Elizabeth Cavendish and his strained relationship with his son Paul, who emigrated to the USA and struggled to forgive Betjeman for his shortcomings as a father. This beautifully written work is expected to attract significant attention in reviews.