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The Anthologist: Book Club Invitation

By Will Willingham 8 Comments

Paul Chowder is a lonely writer who would have an anthology of poetry to his credit, if he could just get the introduction written and submitted to his editor.

It seems, however, that this self-proclaimed “study in failure” cannot.

His longtime girlfriend has left him and he is alone in the barn, trying to write but wandering off instead on hilarious stream-of-consciousness rambles about four-beat lines, rhyming, pentameter and free verse. In the process, he introduces readers to himself—an engaging, self-deprecating fellow—and shares compelling insights on poets and poetic form.

We invite you to join us for our next book club. We’ll be reading Nicholson Baker’s The Anthologist together over three weeks.

We’ll witness a few of Chowder’s imagined encounter’s with famous poets like Edgar Allen Poe — “Watch out for the big swinging blade.” And because Sara Teasdale figures prominently into one of the story lines, we’ll be featuring her work once a week in Every Day Poems throughout the month of July. (And for even more Sara Teasdale, sign up to test drive our beautiful new app, WordCandy.)

Come along with us for a short, light-hearted summer read. I promise, Baker will not have you cleaning your closets or moving out of the country like some other book clubs we may have done. But he might have you laughing and holding your sides.

For July 18, let’s plan to read chapters 1-6. To make it even more fun? Come ready to share some poetry with us in response to the reading.

Photo by Mugley. Creative Commons, via Flickr. Post by Will Willingham.
___________

Buy a year of Every Day Poems, just $5.99— Read a poem a day, become a better poet. In July we’re exploring the theme The Cento.

Red #9

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Will Willingham
Will Willingham
Director of Many Things; Senior Editor, Designer and Illustrator at Tweetspeak Poetry
I used to be a claims adjuster, helping people and insurance companies make sense of loss. Now, I train other folks with ladders and tape measures to go and do likewise. Sometimes, when I’m not scaling small buildings or crunching numbers with my bare hands, I read Keats upside down. My first novel is Adjustments.
Will Willingham
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Filed Under: book club, poetry teaching resources, The Anthologist, writer's group resources, writing prompts

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About Will Willingham

I used to be a claims adjuster, helping people and insurance companies make sense of loss. Now, I train other folks with ladders and tape measures to go and do likewise. Sometimes, when I’m not scaling small buildings or crunching numbers with my bare hands, I read Keats upside down. My first novel is Adjustments.

Comments

  1. L. L. Barkat says

    July 4, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    I am so *in.*

    And I’ve even read the book before 🙂

    Reply
  2. Maureen Doallas says

    July 4, 2012 at 12:47 pm

    Could the name Chowder be more perfect for this book’s protagonist?! Thank goodness Baker didn’t write it in Gaelic.

    Looking forward to the chatter and the poems.

    Reply
  3. Cindee Snider Re says

    July 5, 2012 at 12:25 am

    Got mine yesterday. Started today. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Monica Sharman says

    July 5, 2012 at 4:27 pm

    Sounds great. I’ll try to get my hands on the book in time to participate.

    Reply
  5. Lorraine says

    July 5, 2012 at 10:21 pm

    Sounds like a great read. I’d love to join you!

    Reply
  6. lisa miller says

    July 6, 2012 at 8:26 am

    Me, too! Me, too!! 🙂

    Reply
  7. Eric says

    July 6, 2012 at 4:18 pm

    Book bought.
    Reading starting
    tonight.
    Looks like an
    interesting read.

    Reply
  8. Will Willingham says

    July 6, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    It’s a very fun read. I’m about half done. And really looking forward to doing this book with all of you. Thanks for jumping on board!

    Reply

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