Description: Nicholas Hagger’s literary, philosophical, historical and political writings are innovatory. He has set out a new approach to literature that combines Romantic and Classical outlooks in a substantial literary oeuvre of 2,000 poems including over 300 classical odes, two poetic epics, five verse plays, three masques, two travelogues and 1,200 stories.

Verdict: What Nicholas Hagger has done here is create a new philosophy of Universalism that focuses on the unity of the universe and humankind and the interconnectedness of all disciplines, and challenges modern philosophy.

Furthermore, he has presented an original historical view of the rise and fall of civilizations, and proposed - and detailed - a limited democratic World State with the power to abolish war and solve all the world’s problems.

His new book, the weighty, yet thoroughly engrossing page-turner Selected Letters draws together those of his letters (written over 60 years) that aid the interpretation and elucidation of his works.

Many of his correspondents are well-known figures within literature, philosophy, history and international politics, and Hagger is in the footsteps of Alexander Pope in editing his own letters, which are in the tradition of Pope, Wordsworth, Keats, T.E. Lawrence, Ezra Pound and Ted Hughes (one of his correspondents).

They throw light on all aspects of Hagger’s vast output, and are required reading for all interested in following the growth of his Universalism, his literary development and his innovatory approach to universal truth.

As we read through the pages, the chapters, the sections, the stories conjoining as a whole before our very eyes, it is beyond obvious that Nicholas Hagger is a poet, a man of letters, a cultural historian and, perhaps above all else, a dutiful philosopher.

I think we can all attest to the fact that it is very important to study history, but that it is perhaps even more important to know through which lens history is being viewed.

Facts matter, but historical accounts are always filtered through a set of ideological biases. No account of history is going to be completely neutral, of this we know, but establishment historians will generally emphasize the significance of events as they relate to their political beliefs.

Progressionally, libertarians and other historical revisionists are also analyzing history through the lens of fidelity to or deviance from their own ideological orthodoxies.

Thus what most conventional readings of American history via the philosophical, historical and political writings overlook is the fine detail, the honest, perhaps gritty truth behind the curtain, so to speak.

Ergo, as noted, Nicholas Hagger’s approach here in Selected Letters combines Romantic and Classical outlooks in a substantial literary landscape of 2,000 poems, drawing together those of his letters written over 60 years ago that aid the interpretation and elucidation of his works.

Coming in at a rather grand 937 pages, and weighing as much as a 5lb bag of sugar, Selected Letters is not only a genuine eye opener for those, perhaps, unaware of certain aspects being discussed, but is, without a shadow of a doubt, an especially fascinating and essential read.

In closing, Nicholas Hagger has lectured at universities in Iraq, Libya and Japan, where he was a Professor of English Literature and he has written 54 books, of which include an immense literary offering; most recently King Charles the Wise and Visions of England (both also published by O-Books), and innovatory works within history, philosophy and international politics and statecraft.

Thus, to miss out on such a genuine opus of collected works as which are lovingly contained within this welcomed collection from him today, would be one of the cultural, let alone literary sins of the century, my friends. Trust me on that.

About the Author: Nicholas Hagger is the author of more than 50 books that include a substantial literary output and innovatory works within history, philosophy, literature and international politics and statecraft.

As a man of letters he has written over 2,000 poems, two poetic epics, five verse plays, 1,200 short stories, two travelogues and three masques. His archive of papers and manuscripts is held as a Special Collection in the Albert Sloman Library at the University of Essex.

In 2016 he was awarded the Gusi Peace Prize for Literature, and in 2019 the BRICS silver medal for Vision for Future. He lives in Essex, UK.

Official Book Purchase Link