When Dylan Thomas died in New York in 1953 he was at the height of his fame. His Collected Poems had already enjoyed great success and he had shown exceptional gifts as broadcaster, entertainer, conversationalist and story-teller. Since his death, argument about his work has continued, and the response to Under Milk Wood has shown how alive general interest remains. This affectionate portrayal of life in a Welsh village, originally written for broadcasting, has enjoyed wide success on stage and television.

Mr G. S. Fraser, who will be remembered particularly for his study of W. B. Yeats in this Series, has written a highly personal study of Dylan Thomas's poetry. It will be of value to all who wish both to understand his impact on contemporaries and to assess his place in literature.