Thisvolumeisamuch-needednewselectionofSeamusHeaney'swork,takingaccountofrecentvolumesandoftheauthor'sworkasatranslator,andofferingamoregenerouschoicefrompreviousvolumes.OpenedGround:Poems1966-1996comesasclosetobeinga'CollectedPoems'asitsauthorcarestomakeit.ItreplaceshisNewSelectedPoems1966-1987,givingafullerselectionfromeachofthevolumesrepresentedthereandaddinglargepartsofthosethathaveappearedsince,togetherwithexamplesofhisworkasatranslatorfromtheGreek,Latin,Italianandotherlanguages.Thebookconcludeswith'CreditingPoetry',thespeechwithwhichSeamusHeaneyacceptedthe1995NobelPrizeinLiterature,awardedtohim,inthewordsoftheSwedishAcademyofLetters,forhis'worksoflyricalbeautyandethicaldepth'.