Carl Rakosi

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R. S. Thomas is Wales's most eminent poet in the English language, and one of the most acclaimed poets writing in Britain today. Since 1946 he has published twenty-six collections of poetry including his massive Collected Poems in 1993. His poems and books have won many prizes including the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1964. Thomas's growing influence on modern poetry has been considerable. This is a result of the poems themselves: Thomas remains a largely private figure, living on the island Anglesey, content to let his writing speak for itself. Thomas's occasional prose writings have consequently been of great importance, providing a glimpse into the craft of his poems and their concerns. Selected Prose is the only book to collect some of his scattered prose in both languages, many Welsh language articles appearing in translation for the first time. It is a varied selection, both creative and critical, aiming to reflect the major preoccupations of Thomas and his poetry: religion and theology; Wales and its topography; Welsh Nationalism and the language; Nature and the countryside; the poet and his craft. It includes also the translated transcript of an autobiographical radio broadcast.