An intellectual and spiritual exploration of T.S. Eliot's magnum opus. Ashton handles the Quartets with deftness and care, drawing on Eliot's letters and contemporary scholarship whilst preserving the spark of his poetry. As the title suggests, The Moment in the Rose Garden offers time to reflect in a beautiful space. Yet it is not just another typical commentary; rather, it challenges assumptions about Eliot the man and his formative influences, including the significant women in his life.
Ashton's line-by-line analysis is sensitive and perceptive, showing the relevance of the work beyond any specific religious tradition; he teases out key elements which enrich and broaden the reader's experience. For those new to Eliot, The Moment in the Rose Garden is an accessible introduction to this deeply rewarding and challenging masterpiece; literary scholars, too, will find new insights in the work of this reflective writer, who has spent many years contemplating the profound philosophical and theological themes which inhabit Four Quartets - time, finitude and the eternal.
