"In this new and accessible presentation of Shakespeare's sublime lyrics, David West draws on his career as a classicist to examine Shakespeare's Sonnets in a new light." "The application of the techniques of classical scholarship to the sonnets results in an impressive contribution to Shakespearean studies. At a time when our familiarity with Shakespeare's language is in decline, West restores the full force of the poems' meaning to non-specialist readers with an immediacy and power that will surprise and delight." "The context of each poem, its relationship with its neighbours, its argument, and the details of its language and musical effects are explained in clear terms by a master of close reading. This is literary presentation at its best - a sensitive and subtle reading of the Bard at the height of his powers."--Jacket.