POETRY BOOK SOCIETY RECOMMENDED TRANSLATION WINNER OF THE TIMES STEPHEN SPENDER PRIZE 2011 A warrior sets sail for a distant land, to a once great hall plagued by a murderous enemy - the monster Grendel. Can the hero Beowulf defeat his bloody-thirsty foe, save the Geats from being wiped off the map, and claim his just rewards? The Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf is brought to life in a vigorous, contemporary translation by American poet Meghan Purvis. Written across a range of poetic forms and voices, this rendering captures the thrust and gore of battle, the treasures of the mead-hall, and the sinister dens and moorlands of Dark Age Denmark. Combining faithful translation with innovative versions and poems from alternative viewpoints, Purvis has created an exciting new interpretation of Beowulf - full of verve and the bristle of language.