Contains abstracts of 133 authors and books important in world literature. Entries include the works of such notables as Homer, Confucius, Plato, Khayyam, Dante, Machiavelli, Goethe, Austen, Marx, Dickinson, Freud, Kafka, Narayan, and Achebe. Also included are 100 brief annotations of prominent 20th-century authors.
Whether writing about Herodotus or Colette, The Arabian Nights or Tarzan, Michael Dirda is one of the most engaging critics of our time. He showcases more than one hundred of the world's most astonishing books and authors, ranging from ancient classics to contemporary literary fiction to such popular genres as the detective novel and the ghost story.
Divided chronologically by the eras in which the books were written, each work is put in historical context and brought to life by Van Doren's sometimes surprising and always insightful comments.
The English Reader This sequel to The American Reader details the best and most memorable poems, essays, songs and orations in English literary history. If you've ever wondered exactly what you should know about English literature, this is the guide for you.
1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die For discerning bibliophiles and readers who enjoy unforgettable classic literature, 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die is a trove of reviews covering a century of memorable writing. Each work of literature featured here is a seminal work key to understanding and appreciating the written word.The featured works have been handpicked by a team of international critics and literary luminaries, including Derek Attridge (world expert on James Joyce), Cedric Watts (renowned authority on Joseph Conrad and Graham Greene), Laura Marcus (noted Virginia Woolf expert), and David Mariott (poet and expert on African-American literature), among some twenty others.Addictive, browsable, knowledgeable—1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die will be a boon companion for anyone who loves good writing and an inspiration for anyone who is just beginning to discover a love of books. Each entry is accompanied by an authoritative yet opinionated critical essay describing the importance and influence of the work in question. Also included are publishing history and career details about the authors, as well as reproductions of period dust jackets and book designs.
Bartleby.com is a top destination for classics, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and even classic reference works such as Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
The Modern Library board compiled a list of the '100 Best Novels published in the English language since 1900' that first appeared in the NY Times in 1998. A list of best nonfiction books soon followed. A readers' poll for both best novel and nonfiction generated additional lists. Radcliffe Publishing Course created a rival list of best novels. Now all these lists are on this website.
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