John Heath-Stubbs was one of the defining poets of his age, a legendary performer (being blind, he recited even his major narrative poems from memory). This new selection by the young poet and critic John Clegg essentialises an abundant poet and celebrates his work in the centenary of his birth.

The book describes how a character, starting with virtually no money and absolutely no knowledge of antiques, managed to learn and bit by bit, claw his way up the trade echelon to finally run a massive antique shop on the Welsh Marches. The tale includes door knocking escapades, the odd romantic dalliance, chanced successes, embarrassing failures, the antique ring, local gypsies, the Irish travellers, a court case and even a house clearance in Australia. It is related by a contemporary author, who having chanced on a character with first hand experience of those exciting times, uses the...