New & Selected Poems
Best entry point to Alvarez's poetry across his career.
Author guide
Al Álvarez Books in Order
Alfred Alvarez (1929–2019) was an English poet, novelist, essayist, literary critic, anthologist, and memoirist. His work ranged from poetry and literary criticism to studies of suicide, divorce, dreams, gambling, mountaineering, and autobiography. He was also an influential editor and advocate of contemporary poetry, though edited anthologies are excluded from this bibliography unless they constitute authored works.
poetryliterary criticismessaysmemoirautobiographynovelsnonfictionscreenwriting
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
The Savage God: A Study of Suicide
His most influential and widely discussed work of literary nonfiction.
Where Did It All Go Right? An Autobiography
Accessible autobiographical entry point covering his life and literary development.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (9)
- The Savage God: A Study of Suicide
nonfiction · 1971
- Hers
novel · 1974
- Hunt
novel · 1978
- The Biggest Game in Town
nonfiction · 1983
Al Alvarez touched down in Las Vegas one hot day in 1981, a dedicated amateur poker player but a stranger to the town and its crazy ways. For three mesmerizing weeks he witnessed some of the monster high-stakes games that could only have…
- Offshore: A North Sea Journey
nonfiction · 1986
- Feeding the Rat: Profile of a Climber
nonfiction · 1988
Feeding the Rat is the story of an extraordinary man: climbing legend Mo Anthoine, who found his greatest joy in adventures that tested the limits of human endurance. That passion for "feeding the rat" made him the unsung hero of dozens…
- Day of Atonement
novel · 1991
- Night: An Exploration of Night Life, Night Language, Sleep and Dreams
nonfiction · 1995
- Poker: Bets, Bluffs, and Bad Beats
nonfiction · 2001
Nonfiction (7)
- The Shaping Spirit: Studies in Modern English and American Poets
literary-criticism · 1958
- The School of Donne
literary-criticism · 1961
- Beckett
literary-criticism · 1973
- Life after Marriage: Scenes from Divorce
memoir · 1982
- Where Did It All Go Right? An Autobiography
autobiography · 1999
- The Writer's Voice
literary-criticism · 2005
In this compelling book, renowned poet, author, and critic A. Alvarez defines "voice" as the vehicle by which a writer expresses his aliveness, hooks his readers, and keeps them listening.
- Pondlife: A Swimmer's Journal
memoir · 2013
Essays and speeches (2)
- Beyond All This Fiddle: Essays 1955–1967
essay-collection · 1968
Poetry (8)
- Poems
poetry-collection · 1953
- The End of It
poetry-collection · 1958
- Twelve Poems
poetry-collection · 1968
- Lost
poetry-collection · 1968
- Apparition
poetry-collection · 1971
- The Legacy
poetry-collection · 1972
- Autumn to Autumn and Selected Poems 1953–1976
poetry-collection · 1978
- New & Selected Poems
poetry-collection · 2002
Plays (1)
- The Anarchist
screenplay · 1969
Other (1)
- Rainforest
illustrated-book · 1988
Frequently asked questions about Al Álvarez
Who was Al Álvarez?
Al Álvarez, born Alfred Alvarez, was an English poet, critic, editor, and nonfiction writer who lived from 1929 to 2019.
Sources: poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)theguardian.com (opens in a new tab)
What was Al Álvarez known for during his career?
He was poetry editor and critic of The Observer from 1956 to 1966, where he championed writers including Sylvia Plath, Robert Lowell, and John Berryman.
Sources: poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)observer.co.uk (opens in a new tab)
What influenced Al Álvarez’s approach to poetry?
He challenged the perceived gentility of mainstream British poetry and drew attention to more intense, experimental, and internationally minded writing, including poetry from Eastern Europe.
Sources: theguardian.com (opens in a new tab)queens.ox.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
Did Al Álvarez receive any notable honors?
At 28, he became the youngest person chosen by Princeton University to deliver its Christian Gauss Lectures. He was also made an honorary fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in 2001.
Sources: poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)theguardian.com (opens in a new tab)
What is Al Álvarez’s literary legacy?
Álvarez helped reshape postwar British poetry through criticism, editing, and advocacy, while his papers are preserved in a major British Library archive.
Sources: theguardian.com (opens in a new tab)searcharchives.bl.uk (opens in a new tab)