This book investigates how the premature death of John Keats and the subsequent efforts of his contemporaries to document his life constructed the enduring, often distorted, myth of the poet as a doomed genius. Nicholas Roe, a distinguished scholar of Romanticism, utilizes archival research, contemporary newspaper reports, and early biographical attempts to deconstruct the romanticized narrative surrounding Keats. By examining the motivations of figures like John Taylor and Leigh Hunt, Roe argues that the 'Keats myth' was a deliberate creation that obscured the poet's actual life and professional ambitions.

Scholars and literary critics frequently commend this work for its meticulous archival research and its ability to strip away the layers of hagiography surrounding Keats. It is widely regarded as a significant contribution to Romantic studies that provides a clearer, more grounded understanding of how literary reputations are manufactured.