This poetry collection examines what it means to be alive. Never boastful of its wares, Little Man is a collection that shows Richard James Jones isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, exploring the frustrations of his craft, discovering strange graffiti on an old shed, or even casting a keen eye to the detritus that washes up on the beach. That’s not to say there isn’t celebration—there is—but the poems delight in the minutiae, the small movements that are often the most revealing. Witty and honest, Little Man is a collection plugged directly into what matters. The self-conscious and self-depricating ambition in the title suggests a cricket-sized man with a purpose, battling his way onto the front cover of a book. These are inventive and original poems that show a distinct ability to make meaning from the small and often overlooked. Coming at things from different angles, finding a way to prize ideas wider and discover something new. These are brave and honest poems that grow with each reading.