Poetry Bookshop Online

Poetry Book Society

Founded by T S Eliot and friends in 1953, the PBS is a poetry organisation devoted to readers. Its members receive the best new contemporary poetry, chosen by its Poet Selectors. Every quarter we publish the Bulletin, the definitive review of new poetry books in the UK and Ireland, containing our Poet Selectors’ reviews and contributions from the selected poets. Full members receive the Choice book each quarter and nearly all books can be bought at a 25% discount.

As well as Full membership, Associate, Charter (for libraries) and Education memberships are available. The current PBS membership offer is a free book and a free £10 voucher, and what's more you can join online.

Awarded to the best new collection of poetry each year, the T S Eliot Prize for Poetry, which is awarded by the PBS, is the largest and most prestigious award of its kind in the UK. Every year on the night before the prize-giving, the 10 short-listed poets are invited to take part in the T S Eliot Prize Readings, the biggest event of the poetry year. The T S Eliot Prize Shadowing Scheme encourages A level students to ‘shadow’ the judges and read work from new and established writers.

The Michael Marks Awards for Poetry Pamphlets are new prizes run by the Poetry Book Society in partnership with the British Library, which throw a spotlight on poetry pamphlets through awarding prizes to the most outstanding poetry pamphlet and pamphlet each year. The 2009 winner has recently been announced.

The Children’s Poetry Bookshelf is a book club for young poetry lovers aged 7-11, offering the best new children’s poetry books chosen by our expert Selectors, and schools receive free posters and teaching tips. The CPB also runs the annual Old Possum’s Children’s Poetry Competition.The Poetry Book Society works with the Poetry Archive to sell its CDs offering over 130 recordings of the voices of living poets. The CDs are available to buy by telephone or post from us or from this website.