Overview
Assembling a diverse mix of contemporary poets-Mary Oliver, W.H. Auden, Maya Angelou, Billy Collins, Louise Gluck, Gwendolyn MacEwen, Rita Dove, and hundreds more-Staying Alive is a unique anthology that illuminates the vital force of our humanity, the passion of our aspirations, the power of our spirituality. From the enigma of death to the sweetness of friendship, these poems speak to life's mysteries and consolations and help us navigate the most trying times in recent memory. Staying Alive is already an astonishing best-seller in the United Kingdom, where it has gained a wide-ranging audience. This new edition, specially revised for its American readership, reconnects acionados and newcomers alike to the force of poetry, helping us stay alive to the world and stay true to ourselves.Synopsis
Staying Alive is an anthology of life-affirming poems fired by belief in the human and the spiritual at a time when much in the world feels unreal and inhuman. These are poems of great personal force connecting our aspirations with our humanity, helping us stay alive to the world and stay true to ourselves.
Library Journal
If you purchase only one collection of poetry this year for your library (or for yourself), consider this anthology. Ranging from the lyrical to the edgy, from the thoughtful to the political, British poet Astley's montage of modern poetry never fails to delight both the intellect and the senses. The 500 poems are arranged in 12 thematic sections (e.g., "In and Out of Love"), allowing for some telling juxtapositions. Richard Wilbur, correctly identified as one of the "supreme formal technicians of our age," appears alongside poets whom he influenced, such as Michael Longley, Derek Mahon, and Michael Donaghy, while Robert Frost and e.e. cummings share space with Thom Gunn, Adam Zagajewski, and a wealth of others from around the world. Astley's sense of the political and evolutionary nature of poetry is evident not only in his eye for selection but in the introductory essays that grace each section. A good introduction to recent and current writers; recommended for both public and academic collections.-Diana McRae, San Lorenzo Lib., CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.