anthology, noun:
- A collection of the flowers of verse, i.e. small choice poems, esp. epigrams, by various authors; originally applied to the Greek collections so called. (OED)
A LITTLE HISTORY
According to its Greek root, the word “anthologia” (ἀνθολογία) literally signifies “flower-gathering” (with the intended purpose of putting together a garland or a bouquet of flowers). It is believed that the earliest surviving anthology was assembled by Meleager of Gadara, a 1st century BCE poet and collector of epigrams. Gadara compiled works from many different poets and arranged them in a collection aptly named the Garland.
OUR CONCEPT
As far back as the 1st century BCE, anthologies have been a popular breed of books, and this, for many different reasons. Consider variety. Consider the conversation that almost always occurs between the featured pieces. Consider the way in which the diversity in style, form and voice of the collected works connect readers and writers from different traditions.
Anthologies are repositories where the old can rest alongside the new. Anthologies are catalogs where the odd can feed off the beautiful. Anthologies create friction, or dizzying spells. In our attempt at creating hybrids, mosaics of language and approach, it seemed to us that ARGOS BOOKS should provide a central place to anthologies in its catalog. Not content to simply follow a model that has worked for centuries, that is, the traditional anthology, we also chose to put a new twist on an old formula: make it small. (Maybe even tiny.)
Living in bite-size, gone-in-a-flash, wish-I-had-time-to sort of days, we strongly feel our readership is best served when handed a manageable portion where nothing remains but the essential. Thus, we, the modern collectors of the odd, the exuberant, and the beautiful, we the lovers of poetry, prose, and translated works alike here at ARGOS BOOKS, proudly bring you our LITTLE ANTHOLOGY series.
OUR FIRST LITTLE ANTHOLOGY
We decided to start our collecting in the city and in the community that we are currently a part of. The first Little Anthology will draw from the diverse group of students that are studying to receive their MFA’s in poetry from one of the six NYC schools that offer that degree. How are we alike, and how are we different? What does the future hold for this disparate group of writers currently in their journeyman phase? We hope that by bringing together these (mostly) young writers on the page, we will also help to bring them together in real life with events surrounding the NYC/MFA anthology.
