Product Description
Part of a series of volumes outlining the history and development of Welsh literature from its beginnings in the 6th century to the late 20th century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good place to start your reading
An excellent collection of scholarly yet accessible articles, and a good place to start your reading on this subject.This volume covers the earliest Welsh poets - Taliesin and Aneirin - as well as the 9th century saga poems, the later Poets of the Princes, and the prose tales of the Mabinogion.(500 - 1282 AD) ... Read more

Product Description
This collection presents the finest English literature from the Middle Ages through the twentieth century, with introductory matter and authoritative annotation.Almost three hudnred illustrations show the relationship between images in language and in pictures.In addition to the two volume set, it is also available in six paperbound volues covering major periods. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

As expected
I paid a good price for it and I got it in the conditions I expected it to be. It also arrived on time. Lastly, I was able to sell it once I finished my summer course for a good price.

The best of all possible English Literature anthologies.
I have loved my Norton Anthology for over twenty five years, but the great wealth of editorial commentary in this, the Oxford Anthology of English Literature outdoes even the Norton.This book is a treasure.

Excellent anthology
Excellent anthology, outstanding choice. Good value for the money (for once) in classical English literature. I find most Oxford books to be very overpriced. Not this. Very well thought out.

The Oxford Anthology of English Literature: Vol. VI: Modern British Literature
I'm very happy with this book because it is much cheaper than any other places and the condition is still very good.

Stranded On A Desert Island? Take These 2 Volumes Along!
Someone once asked me, if I were stranded on a desert island, and could have one book with me, which would I choose? Easy answer - "The Oxford Anthology of English Literature." Actually, it's a two volume set - but I am designating the two volumes as one book, for desert island convenience.

This extraordinary 4,500 page collection contains Great Britain's finest literature from the Middle Ages through the 20th century. Included are selections from "Beowulf," Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales," works by Spenser (excerpts from all books of "The Faerie Queene"), Sir Thomas Malory, Shakespeare (including "The Tempest'), Marlowe ("Dr. Faustus," "Hero and Leander"), John Donne, and Milton. There are over 100 pages devoted to William Blake, including "The Book of Thel," and the entire "Night the Ninth" from "The Four Zoas." It also contains poems and prose by Wordsworth, Coleridge, Keats, Shelley, and Byron. And this is just a small sample.

In addition to the general editors Frank Kermode and John Hollander, the anthology has been edited and annotated by Harold Bloom, Martin Price, J.B. Trapp, and Lionel Trilling. The editors contribute brief period introductions, biographical and critical pieces for major authors, and essays preceding the major selections.

There are almost 300 wonderful illustrations included in the collection, representing important artists and their works for each period, that demonstrate the relationship between literary and visual images.

I have read through this wonderful anthology many times over the years, and never fail to learn something new, something to excite my imagination, with each reading. Highest Kudos!
JANA ... Read more

Product Description
Myth, legend, and folklore have been entrenched in children's literature for several centuries and continue to be popular. Some of the most ancient traditional tales still extant come from the Celtic cultures of France and the British Isles, whose languages are among the oldest in Europe. Among these tales are four native Welsh legends collectively known as the Mabinogi, which were first translated into English in 1845 by Lady Charlotte Guest. Numerous children's books have been based on the Mabinogi since then, and many have received awards and critical acclaim. This book is a chronological study of how authors have adapted Welsh myth for children. Some of the works discussed include Sidney Lanier's The Boy's Mabinogion (1881), Alan Garner's The Owl Service (1967), which won the Carnegie Medal, and Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain, the final volume of which received the ALA's Newbery Award for outstanding children's book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A comprehensive review of Welsh myths adapted for children
White, Donna.A Century of Welsh Myth in Children's Literature. Jefferson, N.C.: Greenwood, 1998.hardcover.pp. 162ISBN:0-313-30570-6.

In her book A Century of Welsh Myth in Children's Literature, Donna White contends, "Some of the best children's fantasy available is based on Welsh traditional literature" (142).Given the authors she chooses to examine, her argument is persuasive.Newbery Medal winners Lloyd Alexanderand Susan Cooper, Guardian Award and Carnegie Medal recipient Alan Garner, and Tir na n-Og Award recipients Susan Cooper, Frances Thomas, and Jenny Nimmo all received recognition for their fiction based on Welsh legends.

"Although I am not the first person to have examined the influence of Welsh traditional literature on modern fantasy, I am the first to look at the material historically and chronologically as children's literature," saysWhite.Her approach can be used as a companion piece to the best-known work on the subject, C. W. Sullivan's Welsh Celtic Myth in Modern Fantasy (1989) as well as to Kath Filmer-Davies's Fantasy Fiction and Welsh Myth: Tales of Belonging (1996).The studies by Sullivan, Filmer-Davies, and White overlapin coverage, but White's study of the techniques by which authors integrate the myths into audience-specific writings differs from Sullivan's research into the thematic influences on fantasy and Filmer-Davies's critique of themes within fantasy.White's approach is unique in both the scope of workscovered and her focus on literature for children and young adults.

Noting the obstacles to incorporating myths originally intended for an adult audience into children's literature, White traces the evolution of the original Welsh tales, first into translations and re-tellings intended for a younger audience (1881 - 1988) and then into fiction drawing upon differentelements of the original lore (1830 - 1990).She synopsizes each of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi in her Introduction, enabling the reader to derive meaning from references throughout the text without scurrying off to find thenearest translation of the myths.This section also introduces the seminal work by Lady Charlotte Guest.An Englishwoman who taught herself medieval Welsh, Lady Guest published the first complete English translation of the myths in a seven-volume set (1838 -1845).Along with the Four Branches, Lady Guest included stories from the Red Book of Hergest and the Book of Taliesin.These tales together comprise The Mabinogion, while the Four Branches alone are known as The Mabinogi.Among the titles White discusses are Welsh author Kenneth Morris's Book of the Three Dragons (1930), the first attempt to fictionalize the Mabinogi in children's literature, Alan Garner's The Owl Service and Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain, thoroughly examining the influence of the Mabinogi onthese gifted writers and explaining their influence on later authors.A section on "The Mabinogi in Fiction, 1970-1992," discusses works by Susan Cooper, Nancy Bond, Madeleine L'Engle, Frances Thomas, Louise Lawrence, Clare Cooper, Joan Aiken, Grace Chetwin, and Jenny Nimmo.Several pages are devoted to Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence (1966-1977). Close tohalf of this chapter is dedicated to the works of Jenny Nimmo, including The Snow Spider (1986), Emlyn's Moon (1987) and The Chestnut Soldier (1989).

White's writing has many strengths; particularly interesting is her explanation for the fits and starts by which Welsh myth has proven influential.While many other countries embraced their folklore, Welsh authors never seemed to celebrate the rich wonder inherent in their lore that would lend it so readily to stories for young people.White attributes this to Anglicization in Wales that suppressed the country's culture and language.With the popularity of Garner and Alexander, another hurdle appeared -- few writers dared comparison with these masters of YA fantasy.White's commentary investigates the very different approaches each took in incorporating Welsh myths into their stories.

Beyond her scholarship, what makes White's book so enjoyable are her willingness to challenge earlier scholars and her humorous, conversational style. Although it is not necessarily an integral element to successful criticism, I enjoyed her dry sense of humor.She often provides personal translations for Welsh phrases.

Overall, White is engaging and eminently readable.Due to the chronological nature of the text (and the early thumbnail sketches of the Mabinogi), the chapters may not be as effective when read independently, although readers familiar with the subject will certainly benefit.This excellent study belongs in public and college libraries and is recommended to scholars of both Welsh lore and children's literature. ... Read more

Product Description
From examinations of Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now to Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, The Literature Film Reader: Issues of Adaptation covers a wide range of films adapted from other sources. The first section presents essays on the hows and whys of adaptation studies, and subsequent sections highlight films adapted from a variety of sources, including classic and popular literature, drama, biography, and memoir. The last section offers a new departure for adaptation studies, suggesting that films about history be seen as adaptations of records of the past. Several essays provide detailed analyses of films, in some cases discussing more than one adaptation of a literary or dramatic source, such as The Manchurian Candidate, The Quiet American, and Romeo and Juliet. Other works examined include Moby Dick, The House of Mirth, Dracula, and Starship Troopers, demonstrating the breadth of material considered for this anthology. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Well worth reading
The Welsh version of Arthur, as opposed to the later French contamination!This is an interesting collection of scholarly articles by various authors, and is well worth reading for anyone interested in the development of the Arthurian legends. ... Read more

Product Description
The Victorian Novel is a new title in the Cambridge Contexts in Literature series. It is designed to support the needs of advanced level students of English literature.Each title in the series has the quality, content and level endorsed by the OCR examination board.However, the texts provide the background and focus suitable for any examination board at advanced level. The series explores the contextual study of texts by concentrating on key periods, topics and comparisons in literature.Each book adopts an interactive approach and provides the background for understanding the significance of literary, historical and social contexts.Students are encouraged to investigate different interpretations that may be applied to literary texts by different readers, through a variety of activities and questions, the use of study aids, such as chronologies and glossaries, and the inclusion of anthology sections to exemplify issues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A fascinating discussion!
THE VICTORIAN NOVEL is a fascinating discussion of the themes and issues occurring in Victorian novels, with special attention to the works by key novelists of the time - Dickens, Gaskell, Eliot, the Brontes, Thackeray, Trollope and more (but especially the early rather than later Victorians). Highly organized and scholarly but readable, the book is divided into a number of sections: Approaching the Novel, Approaching the Texts, Texts and Extracts, Critical Approaches, How to Write about the Victorian Novel (very useful to students), and Resources. Each issue is addressed in the historical context of the time, providing the reader with considerable understanding of the shifts in consciousness among writers and readers during this term, and the precipitating influences. ... Read more

Product Description
Explore the canon of great writers.

In this incredible volume, English professor Jay Stevenson teaches readers everything they want—and need—to know about English literature. From Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, and Keats, to more modern figures like Nabokov, Salinger, Morrison, and Updike, this handy guide also includes information on periods, time frames, every type of criticism, the differences and similarities of the literature on each side of the Atlantic, and more.

—Fascinating, fact-filled writing that explores English literature as it is studied right now
—Terrific supplementary reading for AP English Lit students
—Helps readers explore and study fiction, plays, poems, and prose ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

mix up in service
Received the wrong product, but more importantly, received a name and home address as well as billing information for the person who ordered the book that I did receive.The seller had included a note on the packing slip that included an e-mail address to contact in case there were problems with the order, but the address was not in any kind of correct e-mail address form, so I had to contact them through Amazon.I had to ship the order back.When my actual order did finally arrive, it was in good shape, though.

Dripping In Liberalism
Let me start out by stating I purchased this book for the purpose of studying for the English Literature CLEP exam.

After reading this book cover to cover, it was not really what I expected. In fact, really the only "helpful" portions of the book were the sample literature readings. There are a few facts tossed here and there, but nothing beyond an extremely basic overview.

The main surprise about this book was how much of the author's personal opinion and point of view dominated the text. Is it really respectful to call people who disagree with homosexuality "homophobias"?

The other issue (though I expected as much) was the supposed intellect on the Bible and its interpretation. How was Adam and Eve having sex a sin? God created sex! The author contradicts himself when he compares a tale from the Canterbury Tales to Christ dying on the cross--with the tale being about a wife having sex "with a man on a tree." It's a disturbing interpretation, and certainly taken far, far out of context.

It's not that I didn't expect the author to express an opinion, but that opinion is very strong, woven throughout the entire book, and written as fact. Every book has some kind of opinion--this book just has one of the strongest I've ever come across.

Over all, I was disappointed with my purchase. The glossary and appendix had better info than the rest of the book!

Too many pieces missing
As a response to my brother's criticism of the Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature, I tried to look for a basic overview of the subject that would be much more "balanced" to liberal eyes than the conservative PIG is.

However, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to English Literature" can best be regarded as a disappointment. A guide to English literature of its size ought I think to serve to introduce people to the entire history of English literature and attempt to define it as clearly as possible. Like many other books I have read, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to English Literature" fails in this respect. It is particularly problematic with American literature. Whilst the text proper does not discuss writers from America, the appendices do and this can best be described as ludicrous. The coverage of writers from other English-speaking nations has similar flaws. If you want to mention an Anglo-Indian writer like Salman Rushdie, one ought at least to mention all literature in the English language, no matter where it comes from.

Another problem is the apparent gap in the coverage of English literature during the early twentieth century, where there is a direct movement from circa-1900 modernism to late twentieth-century magic realism as if the literature of the middle twentieth century had no significance (I am anything but an expert, but at least there should have been some explanation if it is insignificant). The remainder of the historical section is covered quite well but could have been given more space.

Also, I find much of the early material discussing writing and how to write literature quite superfluous. Except for specialised genres like science fiction, fantasy and poetry, literature should not require this type of analysis because it is generally based on themes that relate closely to human experience and - again excluding the genres noted above - uses language that most people would understand without a course.

All in all, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to English Literature" is disappointingly superficial and incomplete.

A good introduction to English literature
This book won't save your life if you're studying at university,not in my case at least,but it is a good way of having an overall idea about English literature

A good investment
This book was very helpful and instrumental in reawakening my understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of English Literature.I purchased it as a study guide for Lit exams, it did the trick as I aced the exams.I really love the book and how easily and accessibly they present the subject. ... Read more

Product Description
This illustrated and fully updated third edition is the most authoritative and international survey of world literature in English available. Covering everything from Old English to contemporary writing from all over the English-speaking world, the new edition has been brought completely up to date with more than 280 new author entries, most of which are for living authors. The general reader will find the volume a fascinating reference to browse through and to discover many new writers and works, while students will find it an invaluable resource for daily use. Previous Edition (1994) 0-521-44086-6 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An impressive reference book
Since I am the first to review this book, it is important that I let you know just how much information is in here.

Writers - poets, novelists, playwrights, theologians, philosophers, economists, naturalists, scientists, essayists, critics, and historians

Individual plays, poems, novels, and other works

Literary groups or schools - I.E. the Lake Poets, the Beats, the Movement, and the Black Mountain School

Wider literary movements - I.E. neoclassicism, Romanticism, modernism, and post modernism

Critical schools or movements - I.E. the New Criticism, structuralism, post structuralism, deconstruction, and ethical criticism

Literary genres - I.E. comedy, and tragedy, fable, farce and melodrama

Poetic forms and sub-genres of drama and fiction - I.E. acrostic, the elegy, the revenge tragedy, and the Gothic novel

Critical terms - I.E. metaphor, symbol, dialogism, intertextuality, and unreliable narrator

Rhetorical terms - I.E. anaphora, bathos, chiasmus, synecdoche, and zeugma

Theaters and theater companies - I.E. the Globe, the King's Men, the Federal Theater Project, and the Sistren Theater Collective

Literary magazines - I.E. The Quarterly Review and Punch, The New Masses, and Staffrider

So, as you can see, the list is quite extensive, helpful, and interesting.

... Read more

Product Description
IThe Routledge Reader in Caribbean Literature is an outstanding compilation of over seventy primary and secondary texts of writing from the Caribbean. Locating key writers within a specifically Caribbean framework, editors Alison Donnell and Sarah Lawson Welsh demonstrate that these singular voices have emerged not out of disparate cultures, but rather a wealth of literary tradition which, until now, was unknown or critically neglected. All twentieth century selections, both famous and less well-known are given a voice in this remarkable anthology, which encompasses poetry, short stories, essays, articles and interviews. With accessible historical and cultural introductions to the writings, this volume is a fascinating collection for anyone interested in the literature of the Caribbean or post colonial studies, as well as an ideal teaching tool. ... Read more

Product Description
Read by millions of students over seven editions, The Norton Anthology of English Literatureremains the most trusted undergraduate survey of English literature available and one of the mostsuccessful college texts ever published.Firmlygrounded by the hallmark strengths of all Norton Anthologies—thorough and helpful introductorymatter, judicious annotation, complete textswherever possible—The Norton Anthology ofEnglish Literature, The Major Authors has beenrevitalized in this Eighth Edition through thecollaboration between six new editors and sixseasoned ones. Under the direction of StephenGreenblatt, General Editor, the editors havereconsidered all aspects of the anthology tomake it an even better teaching tool. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

not that good
there was writing in the book, and some of the poems were scribbled out in dark black ink.i was never notified of that, and it was a real inconvience.

Has It All
It's the Norton Anthology! It has it all. I was an English major. I am an author.

Problem is . . .
I told the man this was the one I wanted and then he was gonna ship it to me but then when it came the ears were all tore up and some of the sheets were missing from inside. I didn't get what he was thinking. So I told him I needed it for a class and was I supposed to look pore with a beat up anthology? we came to an arrangement that I dont need to get into here cause its really a long story. he sent me some more ones that were clean after the arragmente and so now i can read one and keep a clean one on the shelf and throw away the one he first cent to me.

Perfect for Brit Lit
This book is perfect for British Literature classes. I'm an English Lit major and this book has all the important pieces in one place!

Great for what it was used for.
It's hard to imagine that one could actually enjoy required reading, but let your mind wander as I explain.This Anthology contains so much reading material, there is no possibility of becoming bored because there is something for everyone within.From Wordsworth to Lord Byron you can enjoy some interesting reads.

This book was purchased for an English literature course which involves a good bit of reading, but I was never once bored with it. ... Read more

Product Description
These practice workbooks and guides contain essential information for those preparing for GRE subject tests, including practice questions, full-length practice tests that were actually administered at international GRE subject test administrations, answer sheets, correct answers, score conversion tables, and performance data for students who took the tests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Practice Tests - Get What You Pay For
No, neither of the two tests included in this book are the test ETS mails/posts on their website at this time, Fall 2005, as another poster has said. Perhaps ETS releases a new practice test periodically? In which case, why isn't there a compendium of all the ETS practice tests since they started to offer the exam?

Buy this book and you'll have 2 tests, plus the one ETS gives you for free, AND you can by Princeton's excellent book for a fourth. I recommend you take one each weekend for a month before the exam, reviewing the answers on the weekdays. Then you'll have had a solid review AND adapted yourself to taking this grueling 2.5 hour test. But this doesn't substitute for careful review of poetry terms, lit crit terms, authors, and periods: rather, it SUPPLEMENTS and GUIDES such a review.

(...)

Out of Date & Misleading
Has it ever occured to anyone seeking to improve on his chances to pass the GRE in English test that it might not be wise to trust the very people who have a vested interest in keeping your score down to maintain their hard won bell-shaped curve? First, look at the copyright of the latest 3rd edition (1996).Between then and now the focus of the test has changed dramatically.The testers at ETS have vastly increased the numbers of questions dealing with 20th century feminist critics while decreasing the numbers of those that deal with DWEM (Dead White European Males).Further, the questions in the three tests that make up the text are in what I call the 'brute force' technique. Answers without explanations are provided.You should not be so foolish as to expect to see the very same questions on the real thing.Second, the cover touts 'Strategies and Tips From the Test Makers.'These 'tips' are phrased so vaguely as to be useless (study hard, work as rapidly as possible, buy this book, etc).Third, it would have been helpful if ETS had broken down the test into segments of question type.For example, I went through the three tests in the book and identified each question as belonging to one set or type.I found that the test consisted of previous knowledge questions (70%) and general reading comprehension (30%).If this ratio holds for future tests (post 2002/2003), then it would be wise for test takers to study other review guides that contain this latter type. One particularly hard kind of question that was used often in the text was identifying the gammatical use (subject/object) of a targeted word.There is no way to prepare for this except to practice.I further found that ETS likes to use what I call 'buzz words' such that if you can associate that buzz word with its correlative (e.g. sublime = Longinus), then you can spot the correct answer immediately.ETS said nothing about any of this.Finally there are other prep guides that do a much better job.The Princeton Review and REA are recommended.The danger of using only a 'brute force' approach such as used in this text is that you prepare yourself supremely well to know the answers only to the questions listed. The real thing, however, is far different.

My recommendations:
1) use the Princeton Review & REA guides
2) Know the general thrusts of each period of English and
American Lit
3) Study the Nortons to English & American Lit
4) Use the internet to bone up on feminist critics (Irigarry,
Cixious etc)
5) Memorize the beginnings and endings of novels typically
taught in novel courses
6) Know the definition of a Spenserian stanza (ETS loves this
one)

In short, this text gives you practice only on those questions least likely to appear.You have been warned.

Nothing more than practice tests.
The first clue to the usefulness of the book is to look at the publisher.This is from ETS which runs the GRE.Although the company wants to assist you, I don't believe it is in its best interest to tell you how to beat the test.

First, they give you general information about the test such as how it is administered and what the general percentage breakdown is (so many interpretation questions, so many diagnostic questions....).Then, they give you a section with sample questions of the different question types they have.Lastly, they give you two sample tests.

The problem I have with this is that there is no explanation of the answers.You can check to see if you got it correct (and check how your score ranks), but you can not see why a particular answer is correct or wrong.For that reason, I would recommend other titles for studying purposes.

The main positive for buying this book is that the questions are coming from from the creator of the test.You know that by taking this, you are seeing questions similar to the ones on the test.

These are the real tests
THis is the diagnostic testing book. Use one test to find out what you know before you study, then study, then take the next test to see how you have improved!

Ignore the babble, but take the tests.
If you're taking the GRE Literature in English test, you should buy thisin conjunction with The Princeton Review's Cracking the GRE Literature. Read The Princeton Review's book, ignore the ETS's babbling narratives inthis book, and then take all the practice tests.By the time you finish,you should be in good shape for the real thing. ... Read more

Product Description
The Gothic Tradition is a new title in the Cambridge Contexts in Literature series. It is designed to support the needs of advanced level students of English literature.Each title in the series has the quality, content and level endorsed by the OCR examination board.However, the texts provide the background and focus suitable for any examination board at advanced level. The series explores the contextual study of texts by concentrating on key periods, topics and comparisons in literature.Each book adopts an interactive approach and provides the background for understanding the significance of literary, historical and social contexts.Students are encouraged to investigate different interpretations that may be applied to literary texts by different readers, through a variety of activities and questions, the use of study aids, such as chronologies and glossaries, and the inclusion of anthology sections to exemplify issues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

its ok
This book is alright, got it based on a requirement for a lower level English lit class. Read through most of it in a single sitting (its really short). The book covers a wide gamut of Gothic literature, but doesn't get into too much detail. Its not a waste of money if you need it for a class, it IS however a waste of money if you seek deeper knowledge of the field of Gothic lit beyond just a simple introduction. ... Read more

Product Description
This Concise Companion presents fresh perspectives on eighteenth-century literature.

• Contributes to current debates in the field on subjects such as the public sphere, travel and exploration, scientific rhetoric, gender and the book trade, and historical versus literary perceptions of life on London streets.
  
• Searches out connections between the remarkable number of new genres that appeared in the eighteenth century.
  
• Crosses conventional disciplinary lines.
  
• Demonstrates that philosophy, history, politics and social theory both influence and are influenced by literature.

Product Description
A comprehensive introduction to Sons and Lovers which guides the reader through the key critical approaches to the novel.

Part 1 provides a detailed overview of Lawrence’s composition of Sons and Lovers from 1910 to its publication in 1913 (including a discussion of Edward Garnett’s editing of the novel). Part 2 contains a chapter-by-chapter analysis of the novel, highlighting its complex structure and central themes. Part 3 considers the contemporary reception of Sons and Lovers and introduces the main critical approaches to the novel in recent criticism. Part 4 reproduces useful excerpts from Lawrence’s letters relating to the novel, while Part 5 presents an extensive Select Bibliography of secondary criticism.

Andrew Harrison lectures in English Literature at the Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany. He has published numerous articles on D. H. Lawrence, and is the author of D. H. Lawrence and Italian Futurism (2003), co-editor (with John Worthen) of a casebook of modern critical essays on Sons and Lovers (2005), and author of the Humanities Insights e-book on Lawrence's short stories. He edits the Journal of D. H. Lawrence Studies.
... Read more