Annie Freud's new collection takes its inspiration from two unusual sources:firstly, an encounter with the masterpieces of the Sung Dynasty, which combined poetry, painting and calligraphy; and secondly, the collection of broken household china she amassed while she dug her garden. Stranger items were also brought to light: a tiny horseshoe, a fossilized scallop, a rusted silhouette of a hound . . . And from these prompts, voices began to recount their memories, state their convictions, consider their predicaments, declare their epiphanies and make their reassessments. Beautifully illustrated by the poet herself, The Remains is a book about art and love, making and giving, consolation and surprise - and shows one of our most original literary voices at her most arresting.