Poetry Book Society

The Poetry Book Society is delighted to announce that Sharon Olds has won the 2012 T S Eliot Prize for Poetry with Stag's Leap, published by Jonathan Cape. She is the first female American poet to win the Prize, and her book was chosen from a recording-breaking 131 submissions.

The Judges of this year's prize - Carol Ann Duffy (Chair), Michael Longley and David Morley - reached their decision after months of reading and deliberation.The poets on this year's star-studded shortlist have won 22 prizes and awards between them, though none have previously won the T S Eliot Prize.

Carol Ann Duffy, Chair of the judges, said:

My fellow judges Michael Longley, David Morley and I were proud of the freshness, skill and authority exhibited in this year's shortlist. From over 130 collections, we were particularly impressed by the strong presence of women on the list and were unanimous in awarding the 2012 T S Eliot Prize to Sharon Olds' Stag's Leap, a tremendous book of grace and gallantry which crowns the career of a world-class poet.