The Ecco Anthology of International Poetry

What a feast. I've been hooked on anthologies since I discovered my father's '30s era hundred greatest poems of the English language. Powerful additions since then have included anthologies of world poetry in translation, war poetry, women's poetry, the Beats, slam poetry, urban animals and cars, children's poetry, high school readers from different eras... You get the point. To me, the most valuable thing about translations is that they get me out of the western and/or contemporary American mindset. The passions seem more intense and they're not shy about being political in their passion, which avoiding most of the shrillness or pathos that I think characterizes most American political poetry. I'm the first to admit that translation is impossible but also absolutely essential, so there are many caution signs that are givens whenever I might say "I love Rumi" or "I love Akhmatova." I don't read the language, I didn't live in that culture, I don't know what words are 'loaded' and which are merely brilliant poetic imagery, I don't know their contemporaries and what conversation is going on among them through their poetry... That being said, Kamisky and Harris's international anthology is a stimulating addition to my library. It starts with a poem by Tagore, first winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature and goes through poets born in the 1980's and before. I am especially grateful for the latter--it's really discouraging to pick up a "modern" anthology and discover that the youngest poets were born in the first third of the 20th century. Not so here. We live in a vital poetic culture, as respectful of its past as it is eager to stare into the future and report back to us what it sees. These voices are well represented and stand proudly beside those of all the grey elders we grew up with. Thank you Ilya, thank you Susan, and thank you Ecco. This couldn't have been easy and I am deeply grateful for your efforts.

A phenomenal and diverse volume. Well done!

I loved the Ecco Anthology of International Poetry. As a poet and a writer, I recommend this anthology highly.

A large collection of poetry that presented me with old friends and new discoveries. It's a great collection, perfect for reading and revisiting and keeping finding new images, new sounds, new combinations. A very good choice for a summer companion, if you want to have a book that has a wide variety of experience to offer.

Which translations get chosen is mysterious and can be limited by publishers and royalties and such. The range here is great but poets here are often represented by stodgy selections, heavy boots of high-mindedness, and poets of great irony and tonal subtlety end up sounding like dull speeches, often a little too long. But serious. Oh boy, Seious.

This collection of poems from around the world is quite enjoyable. I've had this book for many years. Probably sens it was first produced. Iv re read many poems and countless pages many a time. I would of given 5 stars, but honestly. Seeing all the stars below 3 is understandable in most cases. And one I do agree with. Learning more about the port.I've used this book in many poetry classes but I always had difficulty finding information about the poets. Some were eisier then others but that just give me more questions about the other people's lives. Like did they live alone their whole life? Did they grow up in a family or not? What kind of jobs did they have it didn't have?This book really needs a companion books about the poets. To give more information about them. The internet can only be so reliable to a degree.So if you are interested in this book, it is a good read. Or at least a good book to skim threw while on a train or just a quick read with some of the poems. You can read 1 poem and skip several pages and read another. And in the introduction it does go into detail saying that translating poems are difficult and you get to see how weird it all can get with the examples they give.Best of luck to anyone who reads this with your decision making in wether or not this is a good buy for you.

This book of poetry was everything I wanted it to be. It provided excellent poems from around the world. I value this book especially because I always need to diversify my favorite poetry, away from the classic writers like Borges, Eliot, and Rilke to name a few.

This was a required book in a grad. class and it was a wonderful selection of poetry from around the world, with many accomplished and well-respected poets that those of us in predominantly English speaking countries have not read, but should have.

Great collection.

I love reading poetry and anthology of poetry from different parts of the world. This EAIP is one of the best twenty century anthology of international poetry, giving you many surprising point of view of a landscape, feeling, dream… It is dominated by Latino-American, European and some Asian poets. There are few African poets and none Oceanian. If most of the translators are from US, there are a few British or Irish. I will recommend this wonderful and stimulating EAIP for all the readers of foreign poetry, well translated. A jewel.

This anthology introduced me to fascinating new voices from around the world and reminded me of old favourites. So many different ways of looking at the world.

Excellent product and service. An intriguing selection of poems from around the world. Thought provoking.

Just lovely. Interesting to see the effect of translation on originals