Hamner's updated study of Derek Walcott is a great introduction to Walcott's ever expanding oeuvre. His views are balanced and magisterial. A great companion to this book is a chronological collection of essays, "Critical Perspectives on Derek Walcott", edited by Hamner himself.

Most critic of Walcott tend to fall prey to the dichotomy of folk poet versus literary humanist. Hamner avoids this pitfall by stressing the Walcott's vision of man as an exile, a castaway.

In the first chapter, Hamner surveys the social and cultural situations of West Indies out of which Walcott emerged. He also outlines his development phases and common theme. Once these foundations are sketched, he then breaks Walcott's works into five phases in the following chapters. Along this chronological approach, he shrewdly intersperses Walcott's poetry, plays and sometimes prose to illuminate his points. They are threaded lightly with Walcott's biography. The last chapter is reserved for studying Walcott's prose. The overall framework is excellent as the reader can appreciate Walcott's oeuvre like the lights refracted through a crystal.

Flipping through the pages, one hears Walcott's lines like waves lapping on the beach of time. Like the palm trees on the beach, Hamner's book offers calming shades and, now and then, some refreshing breeze.

(Footnote. The 2-page chronology of Walcott's life can be improved. e.g. In addition to the years when Walcott's works were published and performed, when were his marriages and divorces, the birth of his children ? I am not suggesting that one should dissect the works psychologically. These datelines may give the reader a fuller picture of Walcott.)

Derek Walcott's stage version of "The Odyssey" is an interesting fusion of the traditional greek tale with elements of the Caribbean landscape and culture. Filled with passages that are often bawdy and hilarious, the play makes the journey of Odysseus seem a bit more interesting than you may remember. Most of the events show evidence of careful selection and transformation to make the Carribean elements work for the play (The encounter with the cyclops provides some metaphorical commentary on colonialism.) And The women! Its enough to point out Helen (of Troy) has the wonderful line: "Men. They'll blame me for everything now." If you've gone to the effort of searching for this author, I think this book will be worth yout time.

This book contains three plays. The first is called Juno and the Paycock. It is set in the year 1922 at the time of the Civil War. It is about a family who live in a tenement house in Dublin. Juno is the mother and is married to a drunk - Jack Boyle who's best friend is a man called Joxer Day another drunk. The second play "The Shadow of a Gunman" is set in May 1920 in a room tenement in Dublin. Donal Davoreen, Seamus Shields Adolphus Grigson and Minnie Powell all live in the tenement. O'Casey writes brilliantly in this play. The Third play "The Plough and the Stars" is described at the start as a tragedy in 4 acts, it is as described. the first two acts are in 1915 and acts three and four are set in 1916 during the Easter Rising. It is my favourite play out of the three. Overall this book is an excellent read and Ienjoyed it very much. O'Casey captures the felling of the time brilliantly and writes in the genuine Dublin language of that time.