The poet’s abiding grief for a mother he lost aged six arrives at large-hearted thoughts about women in general
November 2023
The Box of Delights review – the RSC makes merry with Masefield’s fantasy
‘You could beat someone to death with that!’ Great theatre wigs – and their miraculous creators
October 2023
RSC to put on work by poet who wrote Stratford theatre’s first words
John Masefield wrote poem for 1932 opening of Shakespeare Memorial theatre, which is now staging The Box of Delights
September 2022
Five men and one woman who took on impossible job – of poet laureate
Several of the poets appointed by, or inherited by the Queen, had to deal with public mockery. No wonder Philip Larkin turned down the role
February 2018
Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading by Lucy Mangan review - nostalgic magic
This celebration of children’s literature excels in capturing the sense of wonder we find in our earliest books
December 2017
Time to reopen the BBC’s Box of Delights
The Box of Delights review – festive treat lifts the lid on a world of wonders
November 2017
Books blog
Long before Harry Potter, The Box of Delights remade children’s fantasy
Written in 1935, John Masefield’s classic blended ancient magic with modern adventure and set a template for the work of JK Rowling and many others
July 2014
Poet laureate John Masefield's unseen tributes to George VI revealed
Poems for George VI by John Masefield
December 2010
Season's readings
Season's readings: The Box of Delights by John Masefield
Alison Flood: This magical adventure, with wonderfully evocative seasonal descriptions, is hard to beat as a festive read.
December 2009
Books blog
The Box of Delights is a true Christmas classic
David Barnett: With its dreamy prose and snowy, magical adventures, John Masefield's book deserves to be as much of a Yuletide favourite as A Christmas Carol
April 2009
Mike Newell to reopen The Box of Delights
The Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire director is to make a new film based on John Masefield's 1935 children's fantasy novel, previously adapted as a 1940s radio programme and a 1984 BBC TV miniseries
January 2008
From the Guardian archive
Early days at the Abbey Theatre
From the archive: John Masefield's celebration of Irish drama in 1905
November 2005
Masefield's Sea Fever voted nation's favourite
Sea Fever, a poem published in 1900 by the former poet laureate John Masefield and taught to generations of schoolchildren, has been voted the nation's favourite sea poem.
June 2005
Pie tray in motion
Philip W Errington's selection of John Masefield's work, Sea-Fever, restores the great storyteller to his rightful place in the history of modern English verse, says Jeremy Noel-Tod.
May 2003
Saying it once
1905: Probably the best writer of the short story in English (at this moment) is Mr Masefield.
October 1905
Masefield goes down to the sea again
From the archive: On this day in 1905, John Masefield visited Portsmouth to mark the centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
June 1905
Jaded tastes bring forth monsters
June 14 1905: - On this day the Manchester Guardian published a critique of John Masefield's book, A Mainsail Haul, a collection of his back page articles for the paper.
