The Oxford Book of Twentieth-Century English Verse by Philip Larkin caused controversy and disagreement upon its first publication in 1973. Warmly received by poets John Betjeman and W.H. Auden, it was also considered an idiosyncratic and eccentric collection by some critics. Today, it is recognized as an exceptional and extensive selection of contemporary verse, valuable mainly because it reflects the preferences of one of the best and most beloved English poets of the twentieth century.

As a successor to W.B. Yeats's Oxford Book of Modern Verse (1892-1935), this anthology made a radical reassessment of the century's poetic achievements. It showcased verses that were "lighter in tone, more subdued, more relaxed, more conversational, more intimate, in some ways more democratic and more domestic compared to those of Yeats." It also introduced many lesser-known poets, whose names have not entered the canon, and who add color and depth to the anthology. As Philip Larkin writes in his Preface, by choosing poems instead of individuals, he has gathered "poems that will offer pleasure to their readers, both separately and as a collection."

For this latest reissue, the poet's biographer Andrew Motion has written a new Preface, examining the nature of Larkin as a curator.

Pages: 704, Dimensions: 13.7x13.7cm