Open Air, Straub's third collection of poetry, was published later that year by Irish University Press. Leeson Park and Belsize Square: Poems 1970-1975 was released in October 1983 by Underwood-Miller. Much of Ishmael's work is reprinted in this book, along with previously uncollected poetry, however none of the poems from Open Air are included. The sequence of poems entitled "The Loved Ones" appears in its entirety for the first time in this collection. Straub was born on April 20th, 1945 in New York City. He grew up in Westchester County, near New York City, and attended The Hotchkiss School before going on to Harvard College, where he studied English literature. After graduating in 1967, he worked as an assistant editor for various publications including The Paris Review and The Hudson Review. In 1971, he became managing editor of Southern Review, a position he held until 1975 when he moved to Oxford University where he took up a post as professor of English literature. In 1980, Straub returned to North America and settled in Salisbury, Maryland with his wife and family. During this time, he wrote many stories which were later adapted into novels, among others Hunger and Black Sunday. His other books include Five Flights Up, Lost Girls, Dead Souls, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and The Empty Places. Many of these books have been turned into successful movies, including An American Haunting, Bad Kids Go to Heaven, and Halloween.