Facts about Dylan Thomas

1. 11

   Welsh poet Dylan Thomas recorded readings of his own poetry for the BBC throughout the 1940s and early 1950s, earning widespread acclaim for his rich, resonant speaking voice.

   Dylan ThomasJun 8sharepoetrywelshbroadcasting
2. 10

   The 1952 film adaptation of Dylan Thomas's work earned him £500, a substantial sum that represented one of his largest single payments from the entertainment industry during his lifetime.

   Dylan ThomasMay 21sharefilmliteraturetwentieth-century
3. 09

   Twenty-three-year-old Dylan Thomas saw his first poetry collection printed in December 1934 by the Sunday Referee newspaper, launching his literary career before his work appeared in major commercial publications.

   Dylan ThomasMay 21shareliteraturepublishingbiography
4. 08

   Thomas's 1952 verse drama for radio, In Country Sleep, showcased his innovative use of Welsh language rhythms and imagery to create a uniquely modernist sound in broadcast drama.

   Dylan ThomasMay 21shareliteratureradiowelsh
5. 07

   Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog, Thomas's 1940 short story collection, drew heavily from his experiences growing up in Swansea and established his reputation as a major prose writer alongside his poetry career.

   Dylan ThomasMay 21shareliteratureautobiographytwentieth-century
6. 06

   Fern Hill, one of Thomas's most celebrated poems written in 1945, describes his childhood visits to his aunt's farm in Carmarthenshire and ranks among the finest examples of twentieth-century English verse.

   Dylan ThomasMay 21shareliteraturepoetryautobiography
7. 05

   Between 1934 and 1952, Dylan Thomas published five poetry collections that established him as a major modernist voice in twentieth-century British literature.

   Dylan ThomasMay 21shareliteraturepoetrybiography
8. 04

   Swansea, Wales, where Dylan Thomas was born on October 27, 1914, later designated his childhood home at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive as a museum dedicated to the poet's early life and literary development.

   Dylan ThomasMay 21shareliteraturebiographywelsh
9. 03

   Thomas's 1952 collection Deaths and Entrances sold over 100,000 copies, making it his most commercially successful poetry book during his lifetime.

   Dylan ThomasMay 21shareliteraturecommercial20th-century
10. 02

    In 1953, Dylan Thomas's alcoholic consumption during his final American lecture tour contributed to his death in New York at age 39 from pneumonia and organ failure.

    Dylan ThomasMay 21sharebiographyhealthtragedy
11. 01

    Under milk wood, Dylan Thomas's 1954 radio play, premiered on BBC radio with Richard Burton later becoming the most celebrated performer of the work.

    Dylan ThomasMay 21shareliteraturebroadcast20thcentury