Al Alvarez is a poet, novelist, literary critic, anthologist, and author of many highly praised non-fiction books on topics ranging from suicide, divorce, and dreams - The Savage God, Life After Marriage, Night - to poker, North Sea oil, and mountaineering - The Biggest Game in Town, Offshore, Feeding the Rat. His most recent books are New and Selected Poems and an autobiography, Where Did It All Go Right? He lives in London.

'Eloquent essays, rich in anecdote, from the hand of a true and lifelong servant of poetry' J.M. Coetzee 'An impressive performance by a poet who allows nothing to come between him and the literature he loves. His book should not be neglected by anybody with a serious interest in modern literature and literary criticism' Frank Kermode 'If you want a reminder of what writing is really about, you have only to turn to an elegant little book of essays' Robert McCrum, Observer 'Is there a more charming literary companion than Al Alvarez? To read this book is to feel the shutters of the mind being slowly jemmied apart, an agonising delight ... This is a beautifully presented volume, and a rarity among works of criticism in that it is likely to change your behaviour. Any sane reader will give up buying books for a few months and scamper back, shame-faced but full of excitement, to the riches of his dusty shelves' Spectator

Al Alvarez is a poet, novelist, literary critic, anthologist, and author of many highly praised non-fiction books on topics ranging from suicide, divorce, and dreams - The Savage God, Life After Marriage, Night - to poker, North Sea oil, and mountaineering - The Biggest Game in Town, Offshore, Feeding the Rat. His most recent books are New and Selected Poems and an autobiography, Where Did It All Go Right? He lives in London.

'Eloquent essays, rich in anecdote, from the hand of a true and lifelong servant of poetry' J.M. Coetzee 'An impressive performance by a poet who allows nothing to come between him and the literature he loves. His book should not be neglected by anybody with a serious interest in modern literature and literary criticism' Frank Kermode 'If you want a reminder of what writing is really about, you have only to turn to an elegant little book of essays' Robert McCrum, Observer 'Is there a more charming literary companion than Al Alvarez? To read this book is to feel the shutters of the mind being slowly jemmied apart, an agonising delight ... This is a beautifully presented volume, and a rarity among works of criticism in that it is likely to change your behaviour. Any sane reader will give up buying books for a few months and scamper back, shame-faced but full of excitement, to the riches of his dusty shelves' Spectator