Being Alive

Being Alive is the sequel to Neil Astley's Staying Alive, which became Britain's most popular poetry book because it gave readers hundreds of thoughtful and passionate poems about living in the modern world. Now he has assembled this equally lively companion anthology for all those readers who have wanted more poems that touch the heart, stir the mind and fire the spirit.

Being Alive is about being human: about love and loss, fear and longing, hurt and wonder. Staying Alive didn't just reach a broader readership; it introduced thousands of new readers to contemporary poetry, giving them an international gathering of poems of great personal force, poems with emotional power, intellectual edge and playful wit. It also brought many readers back to poetry, people who hadn't read poetry for years because it hadn't held their interest.

Now Being Alive gives readers an even wider selection of vivid, brilliantly diverse contemporary poetry from around the world. If readers were surprised by Staying Alive, the publishers were even more staggered by the postbag they received in response. People from all walks of life wrote to express their thanks and appreciation, saying how much Staying Alive had helped or stimulated them and fired up their interest in poetry. They hadn't just bought one copy; they'd bought many copies to give to friends and family as presents.

They also wanted to tell editor Neil Astley about other poems which had been important to them in their own lives, and Being Alive includes many powerful poems suggested by readers. Staying Alive has so far sold 75,000 copies. Being Alive is eagerly awaited by thousands of readers throughout Britain and Ireland.