Philip Arthur Larkin,
CH,
CBE,
FRSL (9 August 1922 – 2 December 1985) was an English poet, novelist and librarian. His first book of poetry,
The North Ship, was published in 1945, followed by two novels,
Jill (1946) and
A Girl in Winter (1947), and he came to prominence in 1955 with the publication of his second collection of poems,
The Less Deceived, followed by
The Whitsun Weddings (1964) and
High Windows (1974). He contributed to
The Daily Telegraph as its
jazz critic from 1961 to 1971, articles gathered in
All What Jazz: A Record Diary 1961–71 (1985), and he edited
The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse (1973). His many honours include the
Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. He was offered, but declined, the position of
Poet Laureate in 1984, following the death of
John Betjeman.