Staying Alive

“What’s really fantastic about this anthology is the range of poets from all over the world and the way it’s organised thematically. You can have a theme of personal journeys and you’ll find all these different poems on that theme. The other great thing about it is that different poems have a conversation with each other, just because of the way the book has been ordered. For some reason it really captures people’s imaginations and it was one of these poetry anthologies that really took off. All sorts of people backed it and it was exciting and groundbreaking.” Read more...

Jackie Kay recommends the best books of Poetry

Jackie Kay, Memoirist

“It’s done very well and deservedly so, for the same sort of reasons. This was published by Bloodaxe of course, and Neil Astley, the editor, has been a great mover and shaker in poetry and publishing and he’s done a tremendous job with his Bloodaxe list. With this, again, there’s a spiritual sense, not a religious sense, of poetry where you stop and listen. It’s Robert Frost, it’s life-affirming. I think it’s an important book and a lot of people know that because it’s been a great success.” Read more...

The best books on Poetry Anthologies

Roger McGough, Poet