Organisers: Helen Carr (Goldsmiths, University of London), Richard Parker (Dokuz Eylul University), Mick Sheldon (Queen Mary, University of London) & Kent Su (University College London)

The Ezra Pound Cantos Reading Group has been in existence since late 2006. At each meeting a speaker introduces a canto, followed by discussion, always lively and questioning.. Speakers (and members) range from internationally-established Pound critics to poets, postgraduates, independent scholars and Pound enthusiasts.

The group meet roughly once a month during term time. Their format is to invite a guest speaker to introduce a canto of their choice. The guest speaker will give a paper lasting around 45 minutes, followed by a further hour of group discussion of the chosen canto. This may revolve around the particular issues raised by the speaker, or it will focus on aspects of the canto not yet discussed.

The group have had a range of speakers, from modernist scholars such as Ron Bush or Tim Armstrong, to poets such as Tony Lopez whose work interacts – or has interacted – with Pound and his legacy in some way. Occasionally, the group will organise a round, open discussion on a particular canto, in which case we do not invite any one speaker, but instead invite all in attendance to engage in an extended discussion.

The Ezra Pound Cantos Reading Group is attended by a range of people, with their audience regularly drawing professional academics, postgraduate students, as well as people just interested in Pound, modernism, or poetry in general.

The Reading Group will start from 11 October 2017, but to find out information on the seminars for the 2017/18 academic year, you can follow the link to the IES website or go directly to the seminar schedule.

If you wish to delve further into the Ezra Pound Cantos Reading Group, then follow the link to the Ezra Pound Society website where you can find details on topics and themes to be discussed, as well as information who on to contact. The Reading Group also have a Facebook page.