Francis Thompson Popular Books
Francis Thompson Biography & Facts
Francis Joseph Thompson (16 December 1859 – 13 November 1907) was an English poet and Catholic mystic. At the behest of his father, a doctor, he entered medical school at the age of 18, but at 26 left home to pursue his talent as a writer and poet. He spent three years on the streets of London, supporting himself with menial labour, becoming addicted to opium which he took to relieve a nervous problem. In 1888 Wilfrid and Alice Meynell read his poetry and took the opium-addicted and homeless writer into their home for a time, later publishing his first volume, Poems, in 1893. In 1897, he began writing prose, drawing inspiration from life in the countryside, Wales and Storrington. His health, always fragile, continued to deteriorate and he died of tuberculosis in 1907. By that time he had published three books of poetry, along with other works and essays. Early life and study Thompson was born in Winckley Street, Preston, Lancashire and baptized four days later in St Ignatius Church. His father, Charles, was a doctor who had converted to Roman Catholicism, following his brother Edward Healy Thompson, a friend of Cardinal Manning. Edward Healy, along with John Costall Thompson, Francis' uncles, were both authors. Francis had a brother who died in infancy, and three younger sisters.At the age of eleven, Thompson was sent to Ushaw College, a Catholic seminary near Durham. A frail, delicate and extremely shy boy, he was described by his school fellows in 1870 as 'mooney' or abstracted but happy enough. He could be recognised from afar along an 'ambulacrum' or corridor by his habit of sidling sheepishly along the wall with the collar of his coat turned up. Most of his leisure time was spent in the college library where he was fond of history and poetry books. It was noticed that despite the distractions in the library of catapult fights and general mayhem, he had the ability to shut himself off and continue to be absorbed in his reading.As he advanced up the college he became more skilled at writing and his friends remembered that out of twenty examination essays he obtained first place on sixteen occasions. Once he was punished with a beating for being the last boy to be ready for PE drill. He had no interest in Mathematics and, in his final exam, he came last. The only sport in which he developed an interest was Handball and it is said he achieved a standard above the average. He became a connoisseur of cricket though he rarely participated. In preparation for Ushaw College's centenary celebrations due to take place in 1908, Thompson, by then a celebrated poet, was approached to write a Jubilee Ode to mark the occasion. The poet was delighted that the assignment had been offered to him and it is said that he looked forward to seeing his 'College home' once more. His death, however, in 1907 meant that the commission was never carried out. Thompson studied medicine for nearly eight years at Owens College, now the University of Manchester. While excelling in essay writing, he took no interest in his medical studies; he had a passion for poetry and for watching cricket matches. He never practised as a doctor, and tried to enlist as a soldier but was rejected for his slightness of stature. Then in 1885 he fled, penniless, to London, where he tried to make a living as a writer, in the meantime taking odd jobs – working for a bootmaker (John McMaster of Panton Street) and booksellers, and selling matches. During this time, he became addicted to opium, which he had first taken as medicine for ill health, having experienced a nervous breakdown while still in Manchester. He lived on the streets of Charing Cross and slept by the River Thames, with the homeless and other addicts. He was turned down by Oxford University, not because he was unqualified, but because of his addiction. Thompson contemplated suicide in his nadir of despair, but was saved from completing the action through a vision which he believed to be that of a youthful poet Thomas Chatterton, who had committed suicide over a century earlier. A prostitute, whose identity Thompson never revealed, befriended him and gave him lodgings. Thompson later described her in his poetry as his saviour. Writing career In 1888, after three years on the streets, he was 'discovered' after sending his poetry to the magazine Merrie England. He was sought out by the magazine's editors, Wilfrid and Alice Meynell, who recognised the value of his work. They took him into their home and, concerned about his opium addiction which was at its height following his years on the streets, sent him to Our Lady of England Priory, Storrington, for a couple of years. He continued to take opium but in small doses at irregular intervals, to relieve nerve pain.Francis wrote most of his poetry during this period from 1888 – 1897, after which he turned to writing prose. He struck up a good relationship with the Meynells who, parents and children, furnished inspiration for some of his poetry. They arranged for publication of his first book Poems in 1893. The book attracted the attention of sympathetic critics in the St James's Gazette and other newspapers, and Coventry Patmore wrote a eulogistic notice in the Fortnightly Review of January 1894. Francis' poem The Hound of Heaven was called by the Bishop of London "one of the most tremendous poems ever written," and by critics "the most wonderful lyric in the language," while the Times of London declared that people will still be learning it 200 years hence. His verse continued to elicit high praise from critics right up to his last volume in 1897. His selected poems published in 1908 contains about 50 pieces in all. Notable among his prose works are an essay on Shelley, "The Life of St. Ignatius", and "Health and Holiness". Later life and death Thompson moved around frequently, subsequently living near Pantasaph, Flintshire, in Wales and at Storrington. A lifetime of poverty, ill-health, and opium addiction had taken their toll on him, even though he found success in his last years. Thompson died from tuberculosis at the age of 47, in the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, and is buried in St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cemetery in Kensal Green. His tomb bears the last line from a poem he wrote for his godson, a Meynell: Look for me in the nurseries of Heaven. Style and influence His most famous poem, The Hound of Heaven, describes the pursuit of the human person by God. The playwright Eugene O’Neill could recite it from memory.In 2002, Katherine A. Powers, literary columnist for the Boston Globe, called Hound of Heaven "perhaps the most beloved and ubiquitously taught poem among American Catholics for over half a century," adding that Thompson's other poetry lost its popularity amidst anti-Modernism in the Catholic church during most of the twentieth century. However, she agrees that the dawning century is more akin to his spirit: "His medical training and life on the streets gave him a gritty view of re.... Discover the Francis Thompson popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Francis Thompson books.
Best Seller Francis Thompson Books of 2024
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Homecoming
Ellie DeanTHE EIGHTEENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANPeace has finally been declared in the Far East, but for those living at Beach View Boarding House, th...
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As the Sun Breaks Through
Ellie DeanTHE FIFTEENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANCliffehaven, June 1944As the planes continue to circle over Cliffehaven, Peggy Reilly’s sister Doris mu...
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Shelter from the Storm
Ellie DeanTHE ELEVENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANIt is 1943 and April Wilton is devastated when she is forced to leave Portsmouth and the WRENs where she...
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A Christmas Wish for the Shipyard Girls
Nancy RevellTHE NINTH NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING SHIPYARD GIRLS SERIES'Emotional and gripping' Take a BreakSunderland, 1943: As Christmas approaches in the shipyards, everyone is hoping for a li...
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A Delicate Game
Hana Walker-BrownA footballer dies of dementia, younger than he should.A teenage rugby player plays on through multiple blows and never wakes up from the last one.A scientist reveals endemic brain...
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A Nightingale Christmas Wish
Donna DouglasAs Christmas 1938 approaches, the staff at the Nightingale Hospital have their own wishes for the festive season. Ward sister Frannie Wallace is hoping she won’t have to live throu...
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Some Lucky Day
Ellie DeanTHE SEVENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANMay 1942. War can bring hope as well s heart ache . . . Kitty Pargeter loves the life she’s leading as a ...
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Nightingales on Call
Donna DouglasFrom the author of The Nightingale Girls, The Nightingale Sisters and The Nightingale Nurses – perfect for fans of Call the Midwife1937 sees new challenges for the trainee nursesDo...
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Cemetery Lake
Paul CleaveA heartthumping, noholdsbarred murdermystery that keeps you guessing until the very last page. Some secrets won't stay buried . . . A standard exhumation becomes anything but f...
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With Hope and Love
Ellie DeanTHE SEVENTEENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEAN. Cliffehaven, 1945The war in Europe is over, but for Peggy Reilly and the residents of Beach View Bo...
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Nightingales at War
Donna DouglasAs the war takes its toll, the Nightingale nurses must do their bit for king and country…Dora is the devoted mother of twin babies but, determined to help the war effort, she goes ...
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The complete works of Francis Thompson. Illustrated
Francis ThompsonFrancis was an English poet and Catholic mystic.He spent three years on the streets of London, supporting himself with menial labour, becoming addicted to opium which he took to re...
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Secrets of the Shipyard Girls
Nancy RevellTHE THIRD SHIPYARD GIRLS NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, NANCY REVELL. ‘Nancy Revell knows how to stir the passions and soothe the heart!’ Northern Echo Sunderland, 194...
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The Nightingale Sisters
Donna DouglasTo the student nurses at The Nightingale hospital, the ward sisters are heartless and frightening, with impossibly high standards. But the sisters have troubles of their own... Vi...
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Sweet Memories of You
Ellie DeanTHE TENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEAN‘I’m not working on a factory floor or digging for victory, but in my own small way I do what I can for tho...
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Workhouse Girl
Holly GreenCan she escape her past?Patty Jenkins has come a long way from her povertystricken days in Brownlow workhouse.She now has a coveted position in the kitchens at Freeman's Department...
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Sealed With a Loving Kiss
Ellie DeanTHE NINTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANAfter the death of her parents in a bombing raid, Mary Jones discovers a secret in the pages of father’s di...
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Orphan Girl
Maggie HopeShe's no more than an unpaid servant...Lorinda is only a child when tragedy deprives her of her true family and, sent to live with her aunt in her boarding house, she grows up desp...
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The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro
Pierre-Augustin BeaumarchaisA French courtier, secret agent, libertine and adventurer, Beaumarchais (173299) was also author of two sparkling plays about the scoundrelly valet Figaro triumphant successes tha...
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Far From Home
Ellie DeanTHE SECOND CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANIt is 1940 and Staff Nurse Polly Brown has been granted a posting at Cliffehaven Memorial Hospital on the ...
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Shipyard Girls at War
Nancy RevellTHE SECOND SHIPYARD GIRLS NOVEL FROM SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR, NANCY REVELL.‘Nancy Revell knows how to stir the passions and soothe the heart!’ Northern Echo1941: it takes s...
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Works of Francis Thompson
Francis Thompson8 works of Francis Thompson English poet and ascetic (18591907) This ebook presents a collection of 8 works of Francis Thompson. A dynamic table of contents allows you to jump dire...
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Rags to Riches
Maggie FordIn the 1920s, nobody is safe from scandal...Amy Harrington leads a privileged life out in London society. Her maid, Alice Jordan, lives in the povertyridden East End. But when a di...
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Half a Sixpence
Evie GraceTHE FIRST SAGA IN EVIE GRACE'S MAIDS OF KENT TRILOGY.'An intriguing tale of family relationships and of finding love a second time around . . . I’ll be sure to look out for the nex...
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The Shipyard Girls on the Home Front
Nancy RevellTHE TENTH NOVEL IN THE BESTSELLING SHIPYARD GIRLS SERIES'Emotional and gripping' Take a BreakDecember 1943 As the war effort gathers steam in Europe, it's all hands on deck on the...
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Keep Smiling Through
Ellie DeanTHE THIRD CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANJune 1940. Rita Smith swore she would never lose heart . . .Despite losing her mother at a young age and he...
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The Nightingale Girls
Donna DouglasThree very different girls sign up as student nurses in 1936, while England is still mourning the death of George V. Dora is a tough East Ender, driven by ambition, but also desper...
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All My Tomorrows
Ellie DeanTHE SIXTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANIt was a time of friendship, family, love and loss . . .In defending herself against her brutal husband, ei...
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Where the Heart Lies
Ellie DeanTHE FOURTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANFebruary 1941. Can love survive in a time of war? Julie Harris is working in London’s East End as a midwif...
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Nightingales Under the Mistletoe
Donna DouglasChristmas 1941 and the nurses at the Nightingale are facing their toughest winter yet.With shortages everywhere, and every news bulletin announcing more defeats and losses, the Bri...
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The Waiting Hours
Ellie DeanTHE NEW CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEAN'The Waiting Hours is a gem of a book, which will touch readers' hearts. Ellie Dean effortlessly evokes a sen...
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Always in my Heart
Ellie DeanTHE FIFTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANUnited by love, separated by war . . .As the Japanese begin their assault on Singapore, Sarah Fuller is for...
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A Nightingale Christmas Carol
Donna DouglasAll that Dora Riley wants is her husband home safe for Christmas… The Nightingale Hospital, London, 1944: With her husband Nick away fighting, Dora struggles to keep the home fires...
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Sons And Daughters
Mary Jane StaplesBy the year 1949, life in Walworth has almost returned to normal. Sammy and Boots, now in a highly successful partnership, are rebuilding the old family firm. But an old enemy res...
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On a Turning Tide
Ellie DeanPREORDER NOW:THE SIXTEENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANCliffehaven, October 1944 As the Allied troops draw closer to victory, life at Beach View ...
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A Place to Call Home
Evie GraceTHE THIRD AND FINAL SAGA IN EVIE GRACE'S MAIDS OF KENT TRILOGY.'An intriguing tale of family relationships and of finding love a second time around . . . I’ll be sure to look out f...
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A Nightingale Christmas Promise
Donna DouglasFor the first time, a Nightingale nurses novel set during the First World War. Follow the senior staff as they overcome the trials of their training years. From Sunday Times top te...
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The Nightingale Nurses
Donna Douglas‘Pay attention please, nurses. The next six months will be the most important of your lives’It’s the final year of training for three young nurses at The Nightingale Hospital… Hele...
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District Nurse on Call
Donna DouglasTHE BRAND NEW BOOK BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DONNA DOUGLASHer second book in The Nurses of Steeple Street series The Nightingale Christmas Show is available to PREORDER N...
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Until You Come Home
Ellie DeanTHE TWELFTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEAN‘We’ll just have to carry on in the belief that the end of the war is finally in sight'It is 1944 and Ann...
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With a Kiss and a Prayer
Ellie DeanTHE FOURTEENTH CLIFFEHAVEN NOVEL BY SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ELLIE DEANCliffehaven, May 1944 The tension is rising for Peggy Reilly and the inhabitants of Cliffehaven as the...
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The Nurses of Steeple Street
Donna DouglasFROM THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE NIGHTINGALE SERIES COMES THE FIRST BOOK IN DONNA DOUGLAS' NEW NURSES OF STEEPLE STREET SERIES.Welcome to the district nurses...