During his lifetime, Dylan Thomas (1914–1953) was almost as famous a colorful personality as he was a poet. He grew up in the industrial city of Swansea, Wales, the son of a schoolteacher. Journals that he kept show him to have had a considerable poetic gift from an early age. He worked briefly as a news reporter, published his first book of poems when he was twenty years old, and then moved to London. Besides writing poetry, Thomas worked for the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) and wrote stories and plays, including the play for voices Under Milk Wood (1954). His prose memoir A Child's Christmas in Wales is a popular classic. Thomas gave many public readings in a rich, Welsh- accented voice that captivated audiences. These readings made him quite popular, even among people who ordinarily did not appreciate poetry. Although Thomas's verse often makes great demands on the reader or listener, most people respond to its passion and to its vivid, charged language, reminiscent of the King James Bible and of Welsh preaching. In person, Thomas was often talkative and witty. However, his alcoholism made a ruin of much of his life, including his marriage to Caitlin Macnamara. Heavy drinking, especially on reading tours, interfered with his writing; his total output of poetry was rather small, and he died of acute alcoholism before reaching his fortieth birthday.