Let's be clear about what this book actually is. Selections from Modern Poets by Sir John Collings Squire is a real, physical anthology published in 1921. Sir John Squire was a well-known poet, critic, and editor of his day. He hand-picked poems from what were then considered 'modern' poets—writers like Thomas Hardy, W.B. Yeats, and Walter de la Mare—and presented them with his own introductions. The 'story' here isn't a narrative plot, but the journey of the book itself. Somehow, in its transition to the digital world, likely through an automated scanning process, Squire's name was stripped from the authorship field. The file now credits 'Unknown.' We follow Squire's careful selections, his thoughtful commentary, all while the digital record screams that no one made them.

Why You Should Read It

This is why I love old books in the digital age. You get a double experience. First, you get a fantastic snapshot of early 20th-century poetry through the eyes of a contemporary expert. Squire's taste is impeccable, and his notes are insightful without being stuffy. But second, you get this layer of modern mystery. It becomes a book about erasure. As you read Yeats' majestic lines or Hardy's grim stanzas, you can't help but think, 'The guy who put this together has been digitally vanished.' It makes you appreciate the silent work of editors and curators. It's also a little haunting—a reminder of how even solid literary reputations can fade, and how our digital archives, for all their power, can be fragile and strangely impersonal.

Final Verdict

This one is perfect for poetry lovers with a curious mind. If you enjoy early modernist poetry (think pre-T.S. Eliot's 'The Waste Land'), you'll find a treasure trove here. But it's also for anyone interested in the quirks of book history and digital preservation. It's not a thriller, but a slow-burn, thoughtful experience. You'll come for the poems of Hardy and Yeats, but you'll stay for the quiet puzzle of the missing editor. Just be prepared to do a quick web search for Sir John Collings Squire when you're done—you'll feel like you owe him that much.