Scope and Contents

Kenny Goldsmith provided a punctuation poem on the inside back cover. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

Scope and Contents

The introductory section of the book consists of three pages of aphorisms dealing with gardening by Ian Hamilton Finlay. This is followed by 29 black and white photographs of Little Sparta by Gillanders. Then Alec Finlay writes a brief essay on the garden and its visual challenge to photography. Gillanders who photographed the garden for this book conducts an interview about the project with Ian Hamilton Finlay. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.

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

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.