Ted Hughes's poetry for adults has made him one of the most important British writers in the second half of the twentieth century. When his work first appeared in the late 1950s, it struck many readers as a bold departure from the urbane and understated poetry that dominated the English literary scene. Using powerful, evocative language, Hughes wrote about the elemental forces of nature and the relation of the human to the nonhuman world, often tapping into the dark recesses of the psyche. During the past four decades he has broadened the themes of his early work, producing a richly varied body of poetry for adults. He has also become an accomplished writer of children's books--stories, plays, and several volumes of poetry. These books, like his adult writing, often explore darker aspects of the self and the physical world, though less fiercely and with more humor and playfulness...