author
James Elroy Flecker
1884–1915
A poet, playwright, and novelist whose work pairs rich musical language with a strong sense of beauty and travel, he is best remembered for "The Golden Journey to Samarkand" and the verse drama Hassan. His life was brief, but his writing left a lasting impression on readers drawn to lyric poetry and far horizons.
4 Audiobooks
Forty-Two Poems
by James Elroy Flecker
Hassan : the story of Hassan of Bagdad, and how he came to make the golden journey to Samarkand : a play in five acts
by James Elroy Flecker
The King of Alsander
by James Elroy Flecker
The Last Generation: A Story of the Future
by James Elroy Flecker
About the author
Born in Lewisham, London, on 5 November 1884, James Elroy Flecker was educated at Dean Close School, Uppingham, and Trinity College, Oxford. He went on to join the British consular service, and his time in places including Constantinople and Beirut helped shape the atmosphere and imagery of his writing.
Flecker wrote poetry, plays, and fiction, and he is often associated with a highly crafted, musical style influenced by the Parnassian poets. He is especially known for the poem "The Golden Journey to Samarkand" and for Hassan, a verse play that helped secure his reputation after his death.
His career was cut short by tuberculosis, and he died in Davos, Switzerland, on 3 January 1915. Even so, his work has continued to attract readers who enjoy poetry that is vivid, elegant, and full of longing for distant places.