Now 82 years old, Alastair Reid is one of Scotland's foremost literary figures but his work is currently out of print in the UK (most recent publication is Canongate's "Oases" from 1997, but it represented only a fraction of his work). The bulk of his poetry has long been unavailable, so this wide-ranging new collection of poetry, translations and thoughts on the art of translation will present a fresh and comprehensive overview of his achievements and will appeal to existing fans and new readers. Immediately recognised as a major poet, he was published widely in the New Yorker and elsewhere from the 1950s, with poems such as 'Scotland' and 'The Academy' becoming iconic.Friend and confidant of some of the giants of 20th-century literature, he has written about Robert Graves, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Cabrera Infante and Mario Vargas Llosa. This edition includes his brilliant translations of poems by Pablo Neruda, Jorge Luis Borges and other important South American poets, as well as reflections - never bettered - on the art of translation.