Sylvia Plath was one of the defining voices of the twentieth century, and one of the most appealing: few other poets have introduced as many new readers to poetry. The poems in this fresh and inviting edition were chosen by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.

In my selection, which is roughly chronological to shadow her progress, I have tried to walk through the landscape of Sylvia Plath's poetry as though for the first time, fifty years older than I was when she died. In doing so I have experienced afresh the almost physical excitement I felt when I first read this bold, brilliant, brave poet who changed the world of poetry for us all. - Carol Ann Duffy