Peter Porter has drawn on the full range of the published work, from "A Private Country" (1943) to "Vega" (1973), and has provided a long overdue revaluation of Durrell's poetic career. In his detailed introduction, Porter makes the case for "A Private Country" as one of the most accomplished debut collections of the twentieth century, and traces Durrell's preoccupations and poetic personality within the wider scene. The selection of poems makes its own strong case for the continuing power of this attractive, and wholly individual body of work.