THE LETTERS OF
SEAMUS HEANEY

edited by Christopher Reid

In this wonderful selection, spanning fifty years of Seamus Heaney’s correspondence, we are given access to his life and poetic development – from the early days in Belfast to the gradual broadening of horizons that culminated in the award of a Nobel Prize and the years of international acclaim that kept him heroically busy until his death.

Editor Christopher Reid draws from both public and private archives to reveal this story in the poet’s own words. Listening to his voice, we find ourselves in the same room as a man whose work and presence enriched the world, and whose legacy continues to deepen our sense of what truly matters.

‘A marvellous book, lovingly edited, beautifully produced… and brimming with literary insights, much laughter, a sprinkle of gossip and the poet’s insuppressible joie de vivre, even in adversity. Buy it, read it, and keep it to hand on to your children.’ John Banville, Guardian