The Waste Land: 100th anniversary (Annotated): Deciphering T.S. Eliot’s poem for today

First published in 1922, T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land is widely regarded as one of the most influential works of modern literature. Since its publication, the poem has been praised and pilloried, but 100 years later, its influence on literature endures.

This 100th anniversary edition of “The Waste Land” includes:

• Complete unabridged text from 1922 publication, including Eliot’s notes
• Difficult to define, then and now – Historical context, analysis and explanations of themes
• An Anatomy of Melancholy – Original review of the poem, full of criticism and praise
• Free audio book and other resources

Some lines especially resonate more than 100 years later. “April is the cruellest month” (the first line of the poem), “Shantih shantih shantih” (the last line of the poem) and “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” (used in many TV shows and movies).