Al Purdy struggled initially as a poet, yet persevered and thrived along with his burgeoning Canadian culture. This collection of essays mixes literary appreciation with qualification, portraying Purdy's growth as an artist-which so paralleled that of his nation, along with his self-absorption and that of his country as they gazed at themselves in the mirror of the 20th century. The poet's candour and the sweeping canvas of his Canada are inspiring.