Peter Levi

the long version

Peter Levi (1931-2000) was one of the most romantic and complicated of Oxford characters. Although descended on his father's side from Jewish carpet-merchants ... he was brought up a Catholic and was a Jesuit from late adolescence until he left to marry at the age of 45. Part-way through his training for the priesthood, Levi joined the small Jesuit intellectual elite as an undergraduate at Campion Hall, Oxford. Already a compulsive poet, he made literary friends and experiemented with hard, bright lyrics on a variety of themes ... After leaving the Jesuits, he wrote autobiuographical works, translations, thrillers and elegaic verse, supplementing his literary earnings with casual tuition. [He was] elected Oxford Professor of Poetry in in 1984"--Publisher's description.