[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-420145-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-420145-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","piers-prodigal-and-other-poems","Piers Prodigal and Other Poems","","Piers Prodigal and Other Poems is the debut collection of poetry by Ian Davie, first published in 1961 by Harvill Press. The work is notable for receiving high acclaim from the renowned poet Siegfried Sassoon, who contributed a foreword to the volume and praised the poems for their distinguished form, feeling, and profound thought. Specifically, Sassoon identified the titular poem, Piers Prodigal, as a work of significant literary importance. The book includes biographical notes on the author, Ian Davie, detailing his education at Edinburgh Academy and Oxford, his wartime service in India and Burma, and his professional background. The collection represents an early, significant entry in the author's poetic career, characterized by a refined aesthetic and deep thematic exploration. This document provides a historical overview of the work's publication context, the critical support it received from established literary figures, and the author's personal background during the mid-20th century, offering insight into the development of post-war British 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King","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-09-28",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",9,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Who wrote the foreword for Piers Prodigal and Other Poems?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The foreword was written by the established poet Siegfried Sassoon, who highly recommended Ian Davie's work.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What is the significance of the poem Piers Prodigal?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Siegfried Sassoon described it as a poem of real importance, noting that it shines out above the other poems in the collection.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What was Ian Davie's background before publishing this collection?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Ian Davie was educated at Edinburgh Academy and Oxford's St. John's College, served in the military in India and Burma during the war, and worked as a schoolmaster and at the Commonwealth Relations Office.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},420145,1791101141,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,91,95,100,105,110,115,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & 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them toSiegfried Sassoon for criticism.Although theauthor was unknown to him,Mr.Sassoonwas so impressed by his work that he askedhim to visit him.  \nIn recommending his work to us Mr.Sassoon wrote:'I find all the poems dis-tinguished in form and feeling and deeplyexperienced in thought.But the one whichshines out above them all is Piers Prodigal.This I believe to be a poem ofreal importance'.But—as he says in his Foreword—poemsshould be left to testify for themselves.  \nIan Davie was born in I924 and educatedat Edinburgh Academy.During the War heserved in India and Burma and after hostilitieswere over went to Oxford where he tooka degree at St.John's College.As an under-graduate he edited for a time Oxford Poetry.After being a schoolmaster for several years,he now works at the CommonwealthRelations Office but hopes to return soon toteaching.  \nJacket design by John Woodcock  \nlan DaviePIERS PRODIGALLondon:Harvill,1961first editionwith foreword bySIEGFRIED SASSOON  \nI2s.6d.net  \nPIERS PRODIGALand other poems  \nbIAN DAVIE  \nForeword bySIEGFRIED SASSOON  \nHARVILL PRESS  \nLONDON  \nIan Davie I96IPrinted in Great Britainby Collins Clear-Type PressLondon and Glasgowfor the publishers  \nHARVILL PRESS LIMITED  \n23 Lower Belgrave Street,London,S.W.I","cbCaiojGPMh5PCOg","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiojGPMh5PCOg","pdf",1808643,64,"English","# Introduction\n## Foreword by Siegfried Sassoon\n# Biography of Ian Davie\n## Education and Early Life\n## Military Service and Professional Career\n# Publication Details\n## Harvill Press Edition","[{\"question\":\"Who wrote the foreword for Piers Prodigal and Other Poems?\",\"answer\":\"The foreword was written by the established poet Siegfried Sassoon, who highly recommended Ian Davie's work.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the significance of the poem Piers Prodigal?\",\"answer\":\"Siegfried Sassoon described it as a poem of real importance, noting that it shines out above the other poems in the collection.\"},{\"question\":\"What was Ian Davie's background before publishing this collection?\",\"answer\":\"Ian Davie was educated at Edinburgh Academy and Oxford's St. John's College, served in the military in India and Burma during the war, and worked as a schoolmaster and at the Commonwealth Relations Office.\"}]","Piers Prodigal and Other Poems | PDF",1790619680,99]