The author is widely recognized as an authority on the poetry of the bards from Early Irish literature to the present day, and in particular for her research into the poems in their historical context. This books adds greatly to our understanding of the changes that came about with time in the poets’ undertanding of the nature of human interaction. The book is greatly enriched by the author’s highly-readable style throughout, and by her commentaries on poems well known to all who are interested in the tradition of Irish poetry.