The poetry of Dylan Thomas has long been heralded as amongst the greatest of the Modern period, and along with his play, Under Milk Wood, his books are amongst the best-loved works in the literary canon.

First published in 1940, at the height of his fame, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog is a collection of short autobiographical stories that paint fascinating and humorous portraits of life in rural Wales, and pre-empt characters and traits that echo throughout his later work. Now rightly considered one of the most important volumes in his oeuvre, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog is the key to unlocking the great poet's work.