Byron and John Murray

Byron and John Murray: A Poet and His Publisher is the first comprehensive account of the relationship between Byron and the man who published his poetry for over ten years. It is commonly seen as a paradox of Byrons literary career that the liberal poet was published by a conservative publishing house. It is less of a paradox when, as this book illustrates, we see John Murray as a competitive, innovative publisher who understood how to deal with his most famous author. The book begins by charting the early years of Murrays success prior to the publication of Childe Harolds Pilgrimage, and describes Byrons early engagement with the literary marketplace. The book describes in detail how Byron became one of Murrays authors, before documenting the success of their commercial association and the eventual and protracted disintegration of their relationship. Byron wrote more letters to John Murray than anyone else and their correspondence represents a fascinating dialogue on the nature of Byrons poetry, and particularly the nature of his fame. It is the central argument of this book that Byrons ambivalent attitude towards professional writing and popular literature can be illuminated through an understanding of his relationship with John Murray.