Philip Larkin's Oxford Book of Twentieth-Century English Verse provoked controversy and dispute on first publication in 1973. It was also considered a quirky and idiosyncratic collection by some critics. Today it is recognized as a fine and wide-ranging selection of modern English verse.
The latest reissue of Philip Larkin's new classic anthology includes a Foreword by the poet's biographer, Andrew Motion. Successor to W.B. Yeats's Oxford Book of Modern Verse 1892-1935, The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse ranges widely across this century's verse, introducing many less well-known poets among the acknowledged greats.
It is a sheer joy to dip into.
