The Poetry Book Society (PBS) was founded in 1953 by
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biogr ...
and friends, including Sir
Basil Blackwell
Sir Basil Henry Blackwell (29 May 18899 April 1984) was born in Oxford, England. He was the son of Benjamin Henry Blackwell (18491924), founder of Blackwell's bookshop in Oxford, which went on to become the Blackwell family's publishing and booksh ...
, "to propagate the art of poetry". Eric Walter White was secretary from December 1953 until 1971, and was subsequently the society's chairman. The PBS was chaired by
Philip Larkin
Philip Arthur Larkin (9 August 1922 – 2 December 1985) was an English poet, novelist, and librarian. His first book of poetry, '' The North Ship'', was published in 1945, followed by two novels, '' Jill'' (1946) and '' A Girl in Winter'' (1 ...
in the 1980s. Each quarter the Society selects one newly published collection of poetry as its "Choice" title for its members and makes four "Recommendations" for optional purchase. In recent years, the Society has expanded its selected titles to promote translated poetry and pamphlets. The Society also publishes the quarterly poetry journal, the ''PBS Bulletin'', and until 2016 administered the annual
T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry. Following the Poetry Society's instigation of its New Generation Poets promotion in 1994, the Poetry Book Society organised two subsequent "Next Generation Poets" promotions in 2004 and 2014. In 2016 the former Poetry Book Society charity which had managed the book club from 1953 had to be wound up, with its director Chris Holifield appointed as the new director of the T.S. Eliot Prize, and with its book club and company name taken over by book sales agency Inpress Ltd in Newcastle.
The British Library acquired the Poetry Book Society archive in 1988 and 1996 consisting of organisational papers, correspondence, financial papers, publicity and photographs.
Poetry Book Society archive
archives and manuscripts catalogue, the British Library. Retrieved 19 May 2020
See also
* New Generation poets (1994) The New Generation Poets is a group of 1994 British poets whose work was featured in a month-long nationwide festival, many of the writers going on to considerable popular success. The 20 poets were chosen by a panel of judges comprising Melvyn Brag ...
* Next Generation poets (2004) The Next Generation poets are a list of young and middle-aged figures from British poetry, mostly British, compiled by a panel for the Poetry Book Society in 2004. This is a promotional exercise, and a sequel to the New Generation poets (1994). The ...
* Next Generation poets (2014) The Next Generation poets are a list of young and middle-aged figures from British poetry, mostly British, compiled by a panel for the Poetry Book Society in 2004. This is a promotional exercise, and a sequel to the New Generation poets (1994). The ...
References
Further reading
* Eric Walter White (ed.), ''Poetry Book Society: The First Twenty Five Years, 1954-1978'', PBS, 1979.
* Jonathan Barker (ed.), ''Thirty Years of the Poetry Book Society'', Hutchinson, 1988.
* Clare Brown & Don Paterson (eds.), ''Don't Ask Me What I Mean: Poets in Their Own Words'', Picador, 2003. ompilation from 50 years of PBS Bulletins, 1953-2003
External links
Poetry Book SocietyPoetry Book Society records
at the University of Maryland libraries
The University of Maryland Libraries is the largest university library in the Washington, D.C. - Baltimore area. The university's library system includes eight libraries: six are located on the College Park campus, while the Severn Library, an of ...
Poetry organizations
T. S. Eliot
1953 establishments in the United Kingdom
Arts organizations established in 1953
British poetry
British writers' organisations
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