Good-Bye to All That

About “Good-Bye to All That”

Robert Graves's 1929 autobiography was written at the age of thirty-three with three main goals: to say goodbye to people and experiences, to achieve forgetfulness by completing the work, and to earn money. The book includes a detailed account of life in the trenches during the First World War. However, much of the original text, including its raw and emotional passages, was removed in 1957 when Graves revised the work. At that time, he had separated from the American poet Laura Riding, who had influenced the original version. Graves removed references to Riding and passages that showed his mental struggles, weakening the book's impact. The original 1929 edition is now being offered with an introduction by Graves's nephew and biographer, providing context and enhancing its value.