The first book to collect James Dickey's very best poems, this volume brings together the finest work from each of the periods in Dickey's extremely controversial career. For over three decades, until his death in 1997, Dickey was one of the nation's most important poets; these are the poems that brought him a popular readership and critical acclaim.

This collection of writings on the work of poet and novelist James Dickey addresses the breadth of his controversial career. Beginning in the early 1960s when he first began publishing poetry, it continues through to the mid-1990s, with comprehensive overviews of his entire canon.