Ezra Pound's Fascist Propaganda, 1935-45

"With great clarity and erudition, Matthew Feldman changes how Pound must henceforth be read. On the basis of thousands of previously unused sources, not only does the extent of Pound's fascist commitment become unequivocally clear but the proximity of his political views to his poetry becomes equally undeniable. This is a major work of new historicist literary scholarship which deserves a wide readership across the humanities." - Dan Stone, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK "For the first time we learn from Matthew Feldman's lively study how Pound supported himself during the war years. Far from an eccentric voice, Pound was a major English-language propagandist for the regime. Using hitherto untapped MI5 and FBI files, Feldman shows that Pound's radio speeches ran into thousands of items, from speeches to squibs. We have taken Pound's remark that the propaganda he produced was his own as meaning he did not follow any Fascist 'party line.' We could imagine that Pound's fascism was as heterodox as his economics. In fact Pound's propaganda responded directly and consciously to Fascist politics in Italy, following closely imperatives he discussed with members of the government. This book changes forever how we read Pound by bringing thousands of new documents into Pound's total body of work." - Professor Alec Marsh, Muhlenberg College, USA

Ezra Pound was an influential propagandist for British, Italian and ultimately German fascist movements. Using long-neglected manuscripts and cutting-edge approaches to fascism as a 'political religion', Feldman argues that Pound's case offers a revealing case study of a modernist author turned propagator of the 'fascist faith'.Ezra Pound was an influential propagandist for British, Italian and ultimately German fascist movements. Using long-neglected manuscripts and cutting-edge approaches to fascism as a 'political religion', Feldman argues that Pound's case offers a revealing case study of a modernist author turned propagator of the 'fascist faith'.