Richard Aldington

Richard Aldington (1892–1962) was an English poet, novelist, critic, translator, and biographer. Born in Portsmouth, he became one of the early poets associated with Imagism, a modernist movement known for concise free verse and vivid imagery. His literary circle included writers such as W. B. Yeats and Walter de la Mare.

Aldington served in World War I, an experience that deeply shaped his writing. His poetry and his 1929 novel Death of a Hero conveyed the war’s brutality and challenged the values he believed had helped lead to it.

Later, Aldington lived largely as an expatriate in France and continued to write across several forms. His notable biographies include Wellington, Portrait of a Genius, But…, and Lawrence of Arabia: A Biographical Inquiry, while his broader body of work reflects a lifelong interest in literature, history, and the human cost of conflict.