Summoned by Bells - John Betjeman

(With apologies to Leslie Phillips.) While Highbury has Nick Hornby as it's poet laureate, and it's bunch of reprobate, over-rated and over-lucky footballers to celebrate, Highgate had John Betjeman. While Hornby would probably not become the Poet Laureate, it seems rather extraordinary on reading Betjeman's autobiography, Summoned by Bells, that he would become the same. For there is little evidence of particularly great poetry in the book, and even less in the life portrayed therein that would give hope. The first disappointment must be got over quickly - this is not really a poem. As the foreword apologises, "the author has gone ...  Read the complete review