The Waste Land
Score Classic
What it's about
T. S. Eliot's long poem of 1922, written after the First World War, moves among fragments of voices, myths, scenes from modern London and quotations in several languages to portray a broken, spiritually barren civilization. Many editions collect it with his other early poems, such as "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time and is often called the most influential poem in English of the 20th century. It changed what poetry could be.
You'll love it if you liked
Ulysses, Mrs. Dalloway or A Room of One's Own
Good to know
It's short but difficult, full of allusions. An annotated edition, or listening to a recording, helps a great deal.
Quick answers
Is The Waste Land worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time and is often called the most influential poem in English of the 20th century. It ranks #1,139 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Waste Land about?
T. S. Eliot's long poem of 1922, written after the First World War, moves among fragments of voices, myths, scenes from modern London and quotations in several languages to portray a broken, spiritually barren civilization. Many editions collect it with his other early poems, such as "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."
How long does it take to read The Waste Land?
About 2 hours (88 pages), or about 4 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Waste Land?
If you liked it, try Ulysses by James Joyce, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf or A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf.
By the numbers
- Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics51 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller16 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
On the Guardian 100 Best Nonfiction Books of All Time list.
Where it ranks
On the lists
- Guardian 100 Best Nonfiction Books of All Time