Being Human: the companion anthology to Staying Alive and Being Alive

by Neil Astley (Editor)

The companion anthology to "Staying Alive" and "Being Alive". "Being Human" is the third book in the "Staying Alive" poetry trilogy. "Staying Alive" and its sequel "Being Alive" have introduced many thousands of new readers to contemporary poetry. "Being Human" is a companion volume to those two books - a world poetry anthology offering an even broader, international selection of "real poems for unreal times". The range of poetry here complements that of the first two anthologies: hundreds of thoughtful and passionate poems about living in the modern world; poems that touch the heart, stir the mind and fire the spirit; poems about being human, about love and loss, fear and longing, hurt and wonder. There are more great poems from the 20th century as well as many recent poems of rare imaginative power from the first decade of the 21st century. But this book is also rare in reflecting the concerns of readers from all walks of life. Such has been the appeal of "Staying Alive" and "Being Alive" that many people have written not only to express their appreciation of these books, but also to share poems which have been important in their own lives. "Being Human" draws on this highly unusual publisher's mailbag, including many talismanic personal survival poems suggested by our readers.

Genres: Poetry, Anthologies

512 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2011

About the author

Neil Astley is editor of Bloodaxe Books, Britain’s leading poetry imprint, which he founded in 1978. His own books include novels, poetry collections and anthologies, most notably the Bloodaxe Staying Alive trilogy. He is also a trustee of Ledbury Poetry Festival and Newcastle Centre for the Literary Arts, and a development committee member of Cúirt International Festival of Literature in Galway, Ireland.

Reviews

[Mark Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another marathon effort of hundreds of poems. Took six months to get through, but it's a wonderful selection of modern poetry. Now I just need to go back and dust off staying alive...

[Mark Foulkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent poetry compilation in this high-quality series. In a sense this book, in common with the other two, is impossible to 'finish' in the normal way. They are merely abandoned until the next time you pick them up. There is always something new to be discovered, a new meaning to be found within the text.
'Being Human' showcases poems that deal with, and make reference to, the passage of time. Although the quality of much of the writing cannot be denied, this makes for a rather gloomy read overall. Mortality hangs over the book like a spectre. The other compilations levened this with sections dealing with love or beauty...not so much here.
The compilation also concentrates on poems translated into English. Although it is great to be given the opportunity to read the work, they do not always seem as elegant as, I suspect, they would be in their original language.
Outside of these minor quibbles, a great read.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't like it quite as much as Being Alive and Staying Alive-- but it's still an excellent collection. Poets from all over the world, some contemporary, some from not much more than 100 years ago -if that.

[Rob Manwaring · Rating 5 out of 5]

A birthday present, and a cracker of an anthology. I loved the first two in the trilogy, this looks equally enticing...

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant treasure trove of poetry, the third in a must-read series...

[Bjørn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite poetry collection, and the only one I've read through.

[Isabel Fontes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology, like its predecessors "Staying Alive" and "Being Alive," continues the tradition of curating a captivating and diverse collection of modern poetry. Through this anthology, readers can immerse themselves in the beauty and variety of contemporary verse, exploring the depth and breadth of poetic expression in the modern world.

Astley has meticulously curated three modern poetry anthologies, each showcasing a superb selection of poems. Nevertheless, this latest anthology is outstanding, surpassing its predecessors in quality and depth.

After all, most poetry is about being human. It is worth noting that the essence of most poetry revolves around the human experience and condition.

I highly recommend reading this book as it is very life-affirming and has the power to uplift and inspire.

[Gavin Lightfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third in this poetry series, for me the last two books had the most to offer, I use small stickers to mark the ones that touch me the most then go back and list them to look into the poet's other works. Its going to keep me busy.

[Cooch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great poems

A huge selection of great poems. I can see how my favourites might not be another's, but that they would have the same feeling. This introduced me to many poets I was not aware of.

[Jane Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does what the title says. 5*. I cannot wait for the next anthology. I am hoping to read poems by emerging and young writers too, especially poets from the BAME backgrounds.

[Sarah Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still love these anthologies.

[Damien · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all the other anthologies in this series, a must read.

[Katie Cat Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry. Collection. Humanity.

Most for me were just meh and the book was overwhelmingly male, but a couple of good poems stood out.

[beyond_blue_reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Every time a poem gets lumped into an encyclopedic anthology, I imagine it does a little cry.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice collection of various poems, both modern and post modern. The meticulous ordering of the poems was one of the strong points of this collection.

[Charlotte Cowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating - 6

I enjoyed about half of ths book and the other half I flipped through.
After losing my grandad, i resonated deeply with the poems regarding loss.
Some poems were absolutely beautiful and some I found a little long.

[A.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some wonderful poems in this mix - my favourite was 'Hijab Scene #7', which is very topical here in Canada at the moment, with the government demonising women who wear a niqab.