Scope and Contents Harriet Staff reviewed the book in Poetry News November 28, 2012: Ian Hamilton Finlay's new book, Selections (UC Press 2012), edited with an introduction by Alec Finlay, has been reviewed over at Booktryst. Alastair Johnston writes of Finlay's later-life recognition, noting that "[a]mong the most fatal accolades one can achieve is to be called "greatest living' anything." What follows is his poetic work in biographical context, down to the garden art (the post also includes great photos of Finlay's early books and ephemera; and links to other concrete poets and related resources): This new book compacts much of his writing into one volume. His early poems are mostly negligible, but the odd memorable line occurs ("The dancers inherit the party"-- also the title of his first book of poems). Glasgow Beasts is a charming series of childlike verses written in broad Gleskae dialect. (Finlay's early battles with the dole come off like an episode of Rab C Nesbit.)In 1963, Finlay began to...

Scope and Contents This anthology includes the works of a number of Scottish concrete poets who have not appeared in international anthologies in this field. The book also includes a section of commentaries on concrete poetry by Finlay, Gomringer, Riddell, Morgan, and Leonard. The final section of the book annotates selected poems. A compact disc in an insert in the rear dust jacket has interviews, poetry readings and sound poetry by various poets.Peter Manson's review: This exciting and compendious anthology collects an unprecedented variety of poems written by Scots from the Renaissance to the present day, though the great bulk of its contents was written in the last 40 years. Its remit is wide but definable: the poems all, in one way or another, place the emphasis on poetry as a pattern made from the various material aspects of language: language as sound, as letters carved or arranged on a page, as words or phrases to be varied or permuted. Historically, it ranges from Renaissance pattern-poems,...

Scope and Contents

Ths publication of the book coincided with an exhibition of Finlay's printed works at the Marfa Book Company in Marfa, Texas. It was entitled "Ian Hamilton Finlay: A Selelection of Printed Works." All the works displayed in this exhibition are held by the Sackner Archive. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

The prior published essays in this book, edited by Ian Hamilton Finlay's son, present a comprehensive survey of his father's poetry and art, from 1958 to 1995. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.