The material collected here is a treasure trove, a fine retrospective and a comprehensive guide to the work of Ireland's greatest living writer, John Banville. Selections are drawn from all of his novels, up to and including 2012's Ancient Light; each piece standing alone, short-story-like, but also resonating with those around it and representing the novel from which it comes. There are radio plays, some published in print for the first time here. There is a judicious selection of his essays and reviews. Perhaps most beguiling of all are the pieces of memoir, the early work (including John's first-ever piece of published fiction, from 1966) and the chance to see facsimiles of the handwritten first draft of The Infinities.