This poetry collection is the sequel to 'Staying 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've
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.
