I.A. Richards

This biography follows the career of I. A. Richards, the critic whose ideas shaped modern literary study. It examines his theoretical writings and the body of work he produced across his life. Richards is also remembered for his role in developing methods of literacy and language teaching, a part of his career that the book explores alongside his criticism.

Late in life Richards turned to writing poetry and plays, and the book gives attention to this later creative output as well. It suits readers interested in twentieth-century criticism, the history of English studies, and the intellectual life of a writer who moved between scholarship, teaching and verse.