Richard J. Finneran wijdde vele jaren aan The Collected Works of W. B. Yeats als algemeen redacteur. Zijn redactionele inspanningen, waaronder de Poëziereeks in de Cornell Yeats en de Yeats: An Annual of Critical and Textual Studies, toonden een diepe betrokkenheid bij tekstuele wetenschap en literair erfgoed. Finnerans nauwgezette benadering van kritische en tekstuele studies heeft het begrip en de waardering van Yeats' diepgaande bijdragen aan de poëzie aanzienlijk bevorderd.
W.B. Yeats' life spanned the end of the nineteeth and the beginning of the twentieth century, and his poetry reflects all the turmoil, fervour, traditions and revolutions of that period. From the quiet beauty of 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree' to the apocalyptic resonance of 'The Second Coming', this collection shows the impact of a great poet whose startling relevance to our own times grows more and more evident.
William Butler Yeats, a premier lyric poet of the 20th century, produced significant works across all literary genres, showcasing remarkable range, energy, and skill. His early poetry is both memorable and moving, while his middle-aged works explore the human condition with language that has become part of our vocabulary for profound personal and global events. In his later years, Yeats's writings reflect wisdom, humor, and technical mastery. T. S. Eliot hailed him as "the greatest poet of our time," emphasizing his integral role in the consciousness of his era. This comprehensive volume features over one hundred and fifty of Yeats's most renowned poems, surpassing any other collection, alongside eight plays, prose tales, and excerpts from his autobiographical and critical writings. An appendix includes six early versions of revised poems, selections from unpublished memoirs, and complete introductions for an unrealized collection. Enhanced by annotations and a life chronology, this volume serves as an excellent entry point for readers to engage with Yeats's extensive body of work, renew their appreciation for one of literature's great voices, or deepen their understanding of literary genius.