Book Synopsis
The Anthologist is narrated by Paul Chowder — a once-in-a-while-published kind of poet who is writing the introduction to a new anthology of poetry. He’s having a hard time getting started because his career is floundering, his girlfriend Roz has recently left him, and he is thinking about the great poets throughout history who have suffered far worse and deserve to feel sorry for themselves. He has also promised to reveal many wonderful secrets and tips and tricks about poetry, and it looks like the introduction will be a little longer than he’d thought. What unfolds is a wholly entertaining and beguiling love story about poetry: from Tennyson, Swinburne, and Yeats to the moderns (Roethke, Bogan, Merwin) to the staff of The New Yorker, what Paul reveals is astonishing and makes one realize how incredibly important poetry is to our lives. At the same time, Paul barely manages to realize all of this himself, and the result is a tenderly romantic, hilarious, and inspired novel.
Review
So this isn’t really something I would normally read but alas, the joys of studying English at university landed this book on my lap.
Given this was not your usual fiction/story type book, I really enjoyed this. The Anthologist is about a poet’s trouble to actually write poetry. It’s entertaining for its humour and definitely a book writers can connect with. I think anybody going through something similar would definitely enjoy the story. It’s quite useful in terms of advice but I think what really drew me into this book was how the author was able to make not writing seem a part of the writing process. It’s okay to stop; it’s okay to struggle- you’re never going to be the best writer of poetry or prose 24/7. Something will happen that will knock you down. But you will get up eventually.
This book was really almost like talking to a friend. The way it’s written is great; funny and has advice on how to write poetry which was actually useful!. I can’t really fault the author or book anywhere. Definitely something for any writer out there to read!
My rating: 4/5