The Dreaming Swimmer: Non-fiction 1987-1992

This book shows the diversity of the author's non-fiction writing. The first section, "Assessments and Celebrations", includes Stevie Smith, Philip Larkin, a clutch of Australian poets - and Billy Connolly. In "The Politics of TV", after-dinner speeches (which reduced his audiences to helpless laughter) and addresses to the BBC Board of Governors make some of his robust views on TV broadcasting public for the first time. In verse Auden is reconsidered - and Gabriela Sabatini adored. Finally, he does get to meet Frank Sinatra and sends "postcards" from Miami, Los Angeles and Sydney.