Book description
 I have always loved the mixture of strictness and susceptibility
in Norman MacCaig's work. It is an ongoing education in the marvellous
possibilities of lyric poetry . . . He means poetry to me' Â- Seamus
Heaney  Norman MacCaig is an indispensable poet, and his Collected
Poems is a wonder-book which will give years of pleasure' Â- Douglas
Dunn 'Magisterial' Â- The Herald 'Deeply lyrical yet crystal clear in
its language, MacCaig's poetry is a must-have' Â- Sunday Herald This
collection of Norman MacCaig's poems is offered as the definitive
edition of his work. It has been edited by his son, Ewen. A prolific
writer, MacCaig left about 600 unpublished poems after his death; 99
have been selected for inclusion here. The aim of the selection
process was to sustain the overall quality of the 1990 Collected
Poems, which was compiled by the poet. Unusually, MacCaig's creativity
did not decline with age, and most of the unpublished poems date from
his seventies and early eighties, adding significantly to his
published work from that period. Insight to the writer's life and work
is provided in an appreciative introduction by author and critic Alan
Taylor, focusing on MacCaig's life and times, and in a collection of
MacCaig's words on his own and others' writing.
Norman MacCaig (1910-96) was born in Edinburgh. He lived there all
his life, though lengthy annual visits to Assynt enriched his life and
work. He attended the Royal High School, studied Classics at Edinburgh
University and then trained as a teacher. Having spent years teaching in
primary schools, he later taught Creative Writing at Edinburgh
University, then at the University of Stirling. In later life MacCaig's
reputation grew even further and his work was recognised by the Queen's
Gold Medal for Poetry and many other distinctions. However, his
reputation as the 'grand old man' of Scottish poetry rested less on
these than on his continuing creative work, his teaching and reading,
and his fruitful influence on younger writers.
