For many years the Irish poet Dennis O'Driscoll was a friend and admirer of the English poet, critic and translator Michael Hamburger. After Hamburger's death in 2007, O'Driscoll determined to compile a 'Reader', putting together representative selections from Hamburger's varied writings. The book contains, as well as generous selections from his poetry and translations, extracts from his autobiography and critical essays covering a wide range of poetry and fiction in German and English. Dennis O'Driscoll completed his selection shortly before his untimely death aged 58 at Christmas, 2012. His book is a labour of love on the part of one distinguished poet for the work of another. It will be an essential work for readers of modern poetry and German literature since Holderlin.
