Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000 Books

Book SynopsisPresenting an examination of feminist issues in the works of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, this text discusses such topics as: obscure points in the life of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, and the model nun in the religious literature of Colonial Mexico.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA study of one of Stanley Cavell's greatest yet most neglected books. The authors address the philosopher's readers who have neither understood why he has given film so much attention, nor grasped the place of ""The World Viewed"" within the totality of his writings about film.Table of ContentsReading ""The World Viewed"". Part I Preface: A Metaphysical Memoir. Part II Chapters 1-5: What Is Film? Part III Chapters 6-9: Film's Origins and History. Part IV Chapters 10-11: The End of the Myths. Part V Chapters 12-13: The World as a Whole. Part VI Chapters 14-15: Automatism. Part VII Chapters 16-18: Film and Theatricality. Part VIII Chapter 19: The Acknowledgement of Scilence. Appendix: Cavell's Philosophical Procedures and ""Must We Mean What We Say?"".

Read more less

Book SynopsisInterdisciplinary in scope, this anthology redresses the neglect of Anglophone Caribbeans - almost 25 percent of the black population in Harlem in 1920 - and their pivotal role in the literary, cultural, and political events shaping the Harlem Renaissance.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresents a debate on the persistence of Romanticism. Rejecting the Bloomian notion of anxious revisionism, this book argues that various kinds of influences, inheritances, and indebtedness exist between well-known twentieth-century authors and canonical Romantic writers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWalter Benjamin is considered one of the most significant writers and theorists in 20th-century Western culture. The author of this work shows that Benjamin's engagement with the political cannot be understood in terms of unified concepts, but rather should be understood from his language.Trade ReviewGerhard Richter's study is so effective that it exceeds its own intentions and opens up an illumination of language in our times as well as in Benjamin's. - Michigan Germanic Studies ""As the first full-scale study of Benjamin's practice of autobiography in any language, Gerhard Richter's admirable work performs a major scholarly service."" - Peter Fenves, Northwestern University ""This text is magisterial.... [It] renews one's amazement at the power and beauty of Benjamin's thinking. I rate this work very highly."" - James Rolleston, Duke University ""... a remarkable achievement."" - Michael Jennings, Princeton University

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplores the intersections of photography, archaeology, and psychoanalysis and their effect on conceptions of the subject and his formation or Bildung in the literature and theory of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This title examines works from Thomas Mann, Sigmund Freud, and Walter Benjamin.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis companion takes the reader through Thomas Pynchon's novel ""V."" chapter by chapter, breaking through its daunting surface by summarizing events and clarifying Pynchon's many allusions. It draws extensively from existing critical work on ""V."" to suggest the range of interpretations.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom McCullers' birth in Columbus, Georgia in 1917 to her death in upstate New York in 1967, this book covers every significant event in and aspect of, the writer's life: her rise as a young literary sensation; her eccentricities and entanglements; her debilitating illnesses; and her travels.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscussing Don DeLillo's 13 novels, including ""Cosmopolis"", David Cowart here explores the ways in which DeLillo's art anticipates, parallels and contests ideas that have become the common currency of post-structuralist theory.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA collection of four stories and a novella by Japanese modernist writer Ishikawa Jun. His works address issues of political and artistic significance, and in the introduction and critical essays, Tyler emphasizes Ishikawa's importance as a resistance writer.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the most widely read novels by a South African-born writer or 'about' South Africa, Nobel Laureate J M Coetzee's (second) Booker Prize-winning novel, "Disgrace" (1999), is a firm favourite with reading groups. This book presents historical contexts and critical ideas for an informed engagement with one of the most significant novels.Trade Review"Lively, succinct, and readable, Andrew van der Vlies's handbook of key themes, contexts, and intertexts is the best reader's guide to J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace on the market. Attentive to the politics of literary form and to the controversies of the novel's reception, Van der Vlies's companion will stimulate discussions in the classroom and beyond for some time to come." - Mark Sanders (New York University), author of Ambiguities of Witnessing: Law and Literature in the Time of a Truth Commission"When it was first published in 1999 Disgrace opened up a uniquely challenging space in our times, the meaning of which we are still trying to grasp. Andrew van der Vlies's wonderful book is an essential guide for all new and not-so-new readers eager to find their own way through this vitally important, absorbingly labyrinthine fiction and the unfolding story of its effects." - Peter D. McDonald, (Oxford University), author of The Literature Police: Apartheid Censorship and its Cultural Consequences (2009)‘His detailed account of central themes, alongside a narrative of Disgrace's historical context and reception, will bolster the thinking of any casual reader.' -- Times Literary SupplementTable of Contents1. The Novelist; 2. The Novel; 3. Its Reception; 4. Its Performance; Further Reading and Discussion Questions; Bibliography.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThomas Mann (1875-1955) won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1929. This is a collection of his shorter works. "Death in Venice", is a poetic meditation on art and beauty, where the dying composer Aschenbach (modelled on Gustav Mahler) becomes fixated by the young boy Tadzio.Table of ContentsForeword: Harold Bloom Introduction: Frederick A. Lubich NOVELLAS Tonio Kroger Translated by David Luke Tristan Translated by David Luke Death in Venice Translated by David Luke The Blood of the Walsungs Translated by Helen Tracey Lowe-Porter Mario and the Magician Translated by Helen Tracey Lowe-Porter The Tables of the Law Translated by Helen Tracey Lowe-Porter ESSAYS Freud and the Future Translated by Helen Tracey Lowe-Porter A Brother Germany and the Germans

Read more less

Book SynopsisA critical examination of "White Noise" by Don Delillo, this title forms part of a series that aims to provide accessible and informative introductions to some of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential novels of recent years.Trade Review"The aim of the series is to give readers accessible and informative introductions to 30 of the most popular, most acclaimed, and most influential novels of recent years. A team of contemporary fiction scholars from both sides of the Atlantic has been assembled to provide a thorough and readable analysis of each of the novels in question. Time Out (London) on January 30, 2001 A brilliant idea--short, perceptive books which tell you what you need to know about some of the most vibrant and challenging writing around today--a bit like having a reading group in your pocket. Ian Rankin The series comes as near to squaring various circles - popular / academic, 'good read' / 'classic Lit', novel / film of the book as any I know. And at best it goes a fair way towards reshuffling those categories and redrawing the boundaries. With the first volume, I was relieved. After two or three, I was hooked. The books are invaluable for gathering out-of-the-way or ephemeral comment from TV and radio interviews and the web as well as from literary reviews. Refreshingly upfront and up-to-date... Highly finished and pleasantly handleable as books in their own right... The Times Higher Education Supplement, May 31, 2002

Read more less

Book SynopsisA guide to "The Turn of the Screw", offering students a guide to contexts, language, criticism and reading the text. It sets "The Turn of the Screw" in its historical, intellectual and cultural contexts, offering analysis of its themes, style and structure, and examining its afterlife in literature, film and popular culture.Table of Contents1. Contexts; 2. Language, Style and Form; 3. Reading The Turn of the Screw; 4. Critical Reception and Publishing History; 5. Adaptation, interpretation and influence; 6. Guide to Further Reading; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMargaret Atwood's popular dystopian novel "A Handmaid's Tale", engages the reader with a broad range of issues relating to power, gender and religious politics. This guide provides an overview of the key critical debates and interpretations of the novel and encourages you to engage with key questions and readings in your reading of the text.Trade Review"Gina Wisker has created an admirably comprehensive, though attractively succinct, analysis of the key themes, and literary and political interests, of Atwood's acclaimed novel. Storytelling, different forms of narrative practice and the construction of history, are some of the many topics it treats that receive discussion in the Guide. Wisker perceptively investigates the 1980s context in which Atwood wrote the novel, while commenting knowledgeably on its socio-political importance to the present-day. She writes particularly powerfully about the feminist debates that it incorporates and examines Atwood's expose of the male control of women's bodies and her ambiguously complex description of female relationships. The representation of the characters who people the novel and the content of the individual chapters are both explored in a lively, accessible way. Wisker's decision to introduce questions for discussion is a particularly useful addition. All in all, the Guide provides an excellent commentary on Atwood's text." -- Paulina Palmer, Birkbeck College, University of London, UKTable of ContentsAcknowledgements; Quotations and Abbreviations; 1. Context; 2. Overview of Themes; 3. Reading The Handmaid's Tale; 4. Reception and Influence; 5. Guide to Further Reading; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEven the most gifted screenwriters get lost along the way. Inspired by the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell and psychologist Jean Houston, this title demonstrates how the "screenwriting by numbers" approach that offers templates into which the writer may mechanically drop his or her story idea is fundamentally incomplete.Trade Review"[This book] demonstrates that good screenwriting is more than hitting the big plot points with exciting action" Writers Forum, November 2008"Keith Cunningham's The Soul of Screenwriting: On Writing, Dramatic Truth, and Knowing Yourself...offers an unusual survey inspired by the mythic approach of Joseph Campbell and tinged by the psychology background of Jean Jouston, providing a survey of the act of screenwriting and how the writer's brain and experience juxtaposes to influence technique, character development, scene dynamics and results. It's a scholarly analysis recommended for any film or drama collection." -Midwest Book Review, (The Bookwatch), December 2008"US script-writing guru Keith Cunningham's hefty self-help guide" Total film, 1 May 2009 -- Carmen GrayMention -Book News, November 2008"Writing in a clear, evocative style, screenwriter/consultant Cunningham melds the business side of screenwriting with the craft of screenwriting in an attempt to help writers navigate the often-unwieldy terrain between what an artist needs to create and what the film industry demands as product....In demonstrating the symbiotic relationship between the writer and the world the writer creates, Cunningham offers writers an unique way to view their craft. And he extols the value of truthful writing, as opposed to formulaic writing, and provides a means to remain faithful to one's art while still producing a viable Hollywood product. More than a tool book, this book teaches writers how to persevere as artists. SUMMING UP: Recommended - Choice * Choice *Table of ContentsPart One: The Living Story; Introduction: The Night of the King Coho; Chapter One: Mirrored in the Story; Chapter Two: The Mythic Dimension of Screenwriting; Chapter Three: Need vs. Mode, The Core of Conflict; Chapter Four: The Story Molecule; Chapter Five: Orchestrating Character and Style; Part Two: Plot and the Dynamics of Creation; Chapter Six: The Soul of Screenplay Structure; Chapter Seven: The Journey in Four Movements; Chapter Eight: Act, Sequence, Scene, Beat: The Dramatic Present; Chapter Nine: The Sixteen Story Steps; Chapter Ten: The Creative Journey of Story Development.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTo what extent has feminism benefited women? Arguing that so far feminism has failed to deliver the promised benefits for many women and has even proved harmful, this text brings together women's voices, from Bridget Jones to Simone de Beauvoir, to provide a radical rethink for the 21st century.Table of ContentsThe Bridget Jones Syndrome * Stubborn Girls * Romantic Illusions * 'Singing and Dancing that Womanhood is Beautiful' * Let's hope it's not true * A Theory of Education as if Darwin Mattered * Big Sister is Watching You * Celebrating the Gender Gap

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis work is part of the "Continuum Contemporaries" series giving readers accessible and informative introductions to 30 of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential contemporary novels. It contains a biography of the novelist and a full-length study of the novel.Trade ReviewThe following notice appeared in Time Out (London) on January 30, 2001: Study Aids Get Chic Concerned about keeping up at the book club? Stuck for something to say when dinner party talk turns to Zadie Smith? Or no time to read Captain Corelli's Mandolin before the movie comes out? Never fear, cool new study aids are here in the form of Continuum Contemporaries - The Novel Approach, a series of handy readers' guides to contemporary fiction. Launching in September, with further waves in January and May 2002, they're much slicker than the frumpy cheat-aids of yore, including everything from website links to review buzz, and deliberately featuring new novels such as Bridget Jones's Diary, The Shipping News, Trainspotting, and even the Harry Potter books."A brilliant idea--short, perceptive books which tell you what you need to know about some of the most vibrant and challenging writing around today--a bit like having a reading group in your pocket."--Ian Rankin"The series comes as near to squaring various circles - popular / academic, 'good read' / 'classic Lit', novel / film of the book as any I know. And at best it goes a fair way towards reshuffling those categories and redrawing the boundaries. With the first volume, I was relieved. After two or three, I was hooked. The books are invaluable for gathering out-of-the-way or ephemeral comment from TV and radio interviews and the web as well as from literary reviews. Refreshingly upfront and up-to-date... Given the space, there are remarkably balanced film/novel comparisons of the most well-known examples... An important feature is the fully referenced bibliographies, including reviews and copious website addresses - the latter ranging from fanzines and authors' and publishers' own sites to academic discussion lists and online journals. In method as in subject matter, these guides move freely on the interface between print culture and multimedia. Highly finished and pleasantly handleable as books in their own right, they gesture accommodatingly to both words and worlds beyond. Taking the series as a whole, it also confirms two things: that narrative nowadays is generically highly hybrid and increasingly cross-media; and that an understanding of the processes of writing and reading 'contemporary classic' (or at least 'currently famous') fiction cannot be separated - yet must be distinguished - from the processes of making and marketing books and films." -- The Times Higher Education Supplement, May 31, 2002"An impressive entry into the field of Reader's Guides, (The Continuum Contemporaries), are valuable on two levels: for the individual reader who wants to enhance his understanding, and for the book discussion group leader it's like stumbling on a gold mine of useful information. In the hundreds of books we've discussed, this series stands alone as the most in-depth, challenging, and comprehensive Reader's Guides offered. They leave no stone unturned and turn up some you'd never have imagined. These slim volumes begin with a study of the author, moves to an analysis of the book itself, the issues and sub themes, comparative literature, the reception of the novel, some questions, a bibliography and recommended reading, and more. I would buy anything in this series again: it's that good." --SeniorNet.org/books"...a brilliant and succinct analysis of this many-faceted book....an ideal tool for those teaching modern literature...will send the reader back to the novel with his understanding and enjoyment enhanced." --K Beresford, Amazon.com, 11/4/01"...for the individual reader...it's like taking a Master Class; and for the book discussion group leader it's like stumbling on a gold mine of useful information....the most in-depth, challenging, and comprehensive Reader's Guide offered." --Ginny AndersTable of ContentsBiography of the novelist; analysis of the novel; reviews of the novel; the novel's standing today (TV, film, prizes, etc); further reading, discussion questions, websites.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis work is part of the "Continuum Contemporaries" series giving readers accessible and informative introductions to 30 of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential contemporary novels. It contains a biography of the novelist and a full-length study of the novel.Trade Review"Study Aids Get Chic Concerned about keeping up at the book club? Stuck for something to say when dinner party talk turns to Zadie Smith? Or no time to read Captain Corelli's Mandolin before the movie comes out? Never fear, cool new study aids are here in the form of Continuum Contemporaries....The Novel Approach, a series of handy readers' guides to contemporary fiction. Launching in September, with further waves in January and May 2002, they're much slicker than the frumpy cheat-aids of yore, including everything from website links to review buzz, and deliberately featuring new novels such as Bridget Jones's Diary, The Shipping News, Trainspotting, and even the Harry Potter books." --Time Out (London)"A brilliant idea--short, perceptive books which tell you what you need to know about some of the most vibrant and challenging writing around today--a bit like having a reading group in your pocket." --Ian Rankin"The series comes as near to squaring various circles - popular / academic, 'good read' / 'classic Lit', novel / film of the book as any I know. And at best it goes a fair way towards reshuffling those categories and redrawing the boundaries. With the first volume, I was relieved. After two or three, I was hooked. The books are invaluable for gathering out-of-the-way or ephemeral comment from TV and radio interviews and the web as well as from literary reviews. Refreshingly upfront and up-to-date... Given the space, there are remarkably balanced film/novel comparisons of the most well-known examples... An important feature is the fully referenced bibliographies, including reviews and copious website addresses - the latter ranging from fanzines and authors' and publishers' own sites to academic discussion lists and online journals. In method as in subject matter, these guides move freely on the interface between print culture and multimedia. Highly finished and pleasantly handleable as books in their own right, they gesture accommodatingly to both words and worlds beyond. Taking the series as a whole, it also confirms two things: that narrative nowadays is generically highly hybrid and increasingly cross-media; and that an understanding of the processes of writing and reading 'contemporary classic' (or at least 'currently famous') fiction cannot be separated - yet must be distinguished - from the processes of making and marketing books and films." -- The Times Higher Education Supplement, May 31, 2002Table of ContentsBiography of the novelist; analysis of the novel; reviews of the novel; the novel's standing today (TV, film, prizes, etc); further reading, discussion questions, websites.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis work is part of the "Continuum Contemporaries" series giving readers accessible and informative introductions to 30 of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential contemporary novels. It contains a biography of the novelist and a full-length study of the novel.Trade Review"A brilliant idea--short, perceptive books which tell you what you need to know about some of the most vibrant and challenging writing around today--a bit like having a reading group in your pocket."--Ian Rankin"Well written...The chapters that deal with the text are split into parts that deal with each section of the novel. These are not a critique of the work but more like a pleasant guided tour through territory that you have already visited alone?you know the area but are delighted to have things pointed out to you that you may have missed along the way....The forthcoming list is very impressive and well worth keeping an eye on." --NewBooks.mag"The series comes as near to squaring various circles - popular / academic, 'good read' / 'classic Lit', novel / film of the book as any I know. And at best it goes a fair way towards reshuffling those categories and redrawing the boundaries. With the first volume, I was relieved. After two or three, I was hooked. The books are invaluable for gathering out-of-the-way or ephemeral comment from TV and radio interviews and the web as well as from literary reviews. Refreshingly upfront and up-to-date... Given the space, there are remarkably balanced film/novel comparisons of the most well-known examples... An important feature is the fully referenced bibliographies, including reviews and copious website addresses - the latter ranging from fanzines and authors' and publishers' own sites to academic discussion lists and online journals. In method as in subject matter, these guides move freely on the interface between print culture and multimedia. Highly finished and pleasantly handleable as books in their own right, they gesture accommodatingly to both words and worlds beyond. Taking the series as a whole, it also confirms two things: that narrative nowadays is generically highly hybrid and increasingly cross-media; and that an understanding of the processes of writing and reading 'contemporary classic' (or at least 'currently famous') fiction cannot be separated - yet must be distinguished - from the processes of making and marketing books and films." -- The Times Higher Education Supplement, May 31, 2002Table of ContentsBiography of the novelist; analysis of the novel; reviews of the novel; the novel's standing today (TV, film, prizes, etc); futher reading, discussion questions, websites.

Read more less

Trade Review"Study Aids Get Chic Concerned about keeping up at the book club? Stuck for something to say when dinner party talk turns to Zadie Smith? Or no time to read Captain Corelli's Mandolin before the movie comes out? Never fear, cool new study aids are here in the form of Continuum Contemporaries....The Novel Approach, a series of handy readers' guides to contemporary fiction. Launching in September, with further waves in January and May 2002, they're much slicker than the frumpy cheat-aids of yore, including everything from website links to review buzz, and deliberately featuring new novels such as Bridget Jones's Diary, The Shipping News, Trainspotting, and even the Harry Potter books." --Time Out (London)"A brilliant idea--short, perceptive books which tell you what you need to know about some of the most vibrant and challenging writing around today--a bit like having a reading group in your pocket."--Ian Rankin"The series comes as near to squaring various circles - popular / academic, 'good read' / 'classic Lit', novel / film of the book as any I know. And at best it goes a fair way towards reshuffling those categories and redrawing the boundaries. With the first volume, I was relieved. After two or three, I was hooked. The books are invaluable for gathering out-of-the-way or ephemeral comment from TV and radio interviews and the web as well as from literary reviews. Refreshingly upfront and up-to-date... Given the space, there are remarkably balanced film/novel comparisons of the most well-known examples... An important feature is the fully referenced bibliographies, including reviews and copious website addresses - the latter ranging from fanzines and authors' and publishers' own sites to academic discussion lists and online journals. In method as in subject matter, these guides move freely on the interface between print culture and multimedia. Highly finished and pleasantly handleable as books in their own right, they gesture accommodatingly to both words and worlds beyond. Taking the series as a whole, it also confirms two things: that narrative nowadays is generically highly hybrid and increasingly cross-media; and that an understanding of the processes of writing and reading 'contemporary classic' (or at least 'currently famous') fiction cannot be separated - yet must be distinguished - from the processes of making and marketing books and films." -- The Times Higher Education Supplement, May 31, 2002"Indeed, we did lack a book on this book and Duvall has filled the gap effectively." -Christian MoraruTable of ContentsBiography of the novelist; analysis of the novel; reviews of the novel; the novel's standing today (TV, film, prizes, etc); further reading, discussion questions, websites;

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis work is part of the "Continuum Contemporaries" series giving readers accessible and informative introductions to 30 of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential contemporary novels. It contains a biography of the novelist and a full-length study of the novel.Trade Review"A brilliant idea--short, perceptive books which tell you what you need to know about some of the most vibrant and challenging writing around today--a bit like having a reading group in your pocket."--Ian Rankin"The series comes as near to squaring various circles - popular / academic, 'good read' / 'classic Lit', novel / film of the book as any I know. And at best it goes a fair way towards reshuffling those categories and redrawing the boundaries. With the first volume, I was relieved. After two or three, I was hooked. The books are invaluable for gathering out-of-the-way or ephemeral comment from TV and radio interviews and the web as well as from literary reviews. Refreshingly upfront and up-to-date... Given the space, there are remarkably balanced film/novel comparisons of the most well-known examples... An important feature is the fully referenced bibliographies, including reviews and copious website addresses - the latter ranging from fanzines and authors' and publishers' own sites to academic discussion lists and online journals. In method as in subject matter, these guides move freely on the interface between print culture and multimedia. Highly finished and pleasantly handleable as books in their own right, they gesture accommodatingly to both words and worlds beyond. Taking the series as a whole, it also confirms two things: that narrative nowadays is generically highly hybrid and increasingly cross-media; and that an understanding of the processes of writing and reading 'contemporary classic' (or at least 'currently famous') fiction cannot be separated - yet must be distinguished - from the processes of making and marketing books and films." -- The Times Higher Education Supplement, May 31, 2002Table of ContentsBiography of the novelist; analysis of the novel; reviews of the novel; the novel's standing today; further reading, discussion questions, websites.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe "Continuum Contemporaries" series is designed as a source of ideas and inspiration for members of book clubs and literature students at school, college and university. It aims to give readers informative introductions to 30 of the most popular, acclaimed and influential novels of recent years.Trade Review"Study Aids Get Chic Concerned about keeping up at the book club? Stuck for something to say when dinner party talk turns to Zadie Smith? Or no time to read Captain Corelli's Mandolin before the movie comes out? Never fear, cool new study aids are here in the form of Continuum Contemporaries....The Novel Approach, a series of handy readers' guides to contemporary fiction. Launching in September, with further waves in January and May 2002, they're much slicker than the frumpy cheat-aids of yore, including everything from website links to review buzz, and deliberately featuring new novels such as Bridget Jones's Diary, The Shipping News, Trainspotting, and even the Harry Potter books." --Time Out (London)"A brilliant idea--short, perceptive books which tell you what you need to know about some of the most vibrant and challenging writing around today--a bit like having a reading group in your pocket."--Ian Rankin"The series comes as near to squaring various circles - popular / academic, 'good read' / 'classic Lit', novel / film of the book as any I know. And at best it goes a fair way towards reshuffling those categories and redrawing the boundaries. With the first volume, I was relieved. After two or three, I was hooked. The books are invaluable for gathering out-of-the-way or ephemeral comment from TV and radio interviews and the web as well as from literary reviews. Refreshingly upfront and up-to-date... Given the space, there are remarkably balanced film/novel comparisons of the most well-known examples... An important feature is the fully referenced bibliographies, including reviews and copious website addresses - the latter ranging from fanzines and authors' and publishers' own sites to academic discussion lists and online journals. In method as in subject matter, these guides move freely on the interface between print culture and multimedia. Highly finished and pleasantly handleable as books in their own right, they gesture accommodatingly to both words and worlds beyond. Taking the series as a whole, it also confirms two things: that narrative nowadays is generically highly hybrid and increasingly cross-media; and that an understanding of the processes of writing and reading 'contemporary classic' (or at least 'currently famous') fiction cannot be separated - yet must be distinguished - from the processes of making and marketing books and films." -- The Times Higher Education Supplement, May 31, 2002

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe "Continuum Contemporaries" series is designed as a source of ideas and inspiration for members of book clubs and literature students at school, college and university. It aims to give readers informative introductions to 30 of the most popular, acclaimed and influential novels of recent years.Trade Review"Study Aids Get Chic Concerned about keeping up at the book club? Stuck for something to say when dinner party talk turns to Zadie Smith? Or no time to read Captain Corelli's Mandolin before the movie comes out? Never fear, cool new study aids are here in the form of Continuum Contemporaries....The Novel Approach, a series of handy readers' guides to contemporary fiction. Launching in September, with further waves in January and May 2002, they're much slicker than the frumpy cheat-aids of yore, including everything from website links to review buzz, and deliberately featuring new novels such as Bridget Jones's Diary, The Shipping News, Trainspotting, and even the Harry Potter books." --Time Out (London)"A brilliant idea--short, perceptive books which tell you what you need to know about some of the most vibrant and challenging writing around today--a bit like having a reading group in your pocket."--Ian Rankin"The series comes as near to squaring various circles - popular / academic, 'good read' / 'classic Lit', novel / film of the book as any I know. And at best it goes a fair way towards reshuffling those categories and redrawing the boundaries. With the first volume, I was relieved. After two or three, I was hooked. The books are invaluable for gathering out-of-the-way or ephemeral comment from TV and radio interviews and the web as well as from literary reviews. Refreshingly upfront and up-to-date... Given the space, there are remarkably balanced film/novel comparisons of the most well-known examples... An important feature is the fully referenced bibliographies, including reviews and copious website addresses - the latter ranging from fanzines and authors' and publishers' own sites to academic discussion lists and online journals. In method as in subject matter, these guides move freely on the interface between print culture and multimedia. Highly finished and pleasantly handleable as books in their own right, they gesture accommodatingly to both words and worlds beyond. Taking the series as a whole, it also confirms two things: that narrative nowadays is generically highly hybrid and increasingly cross-media; and that an understanding of the processes of writing and reading 'contemporary classic' (or at least 'currently famous') fiction cannot be separated - yet must be distinguished - from the processes of making and marketing books and films." -- The Times Higher Education Supplement, May 31, 2002"...invaluable for gathering out-of-the-way or ephemeral comment from TV and radio interviews...the web...[and] literary reviews." * The Times Higher Education Supplement *

Read more less

Book Synopsis"The Great Gatsby" (1925) is a classic of modern American literature and is often seen as the quintessential novel of 'the jazz age'. This guide sets "The Great Gatsby" in its historical, intellectual and cultural contexts, offering analyses of its themes, style and structure. It includes points for discussion and suggestions for further study.Trade ReviewReview of student guide to Heart of Darkness by Nicholas Tredell: 'lively, scholarly and accessible' - The Year's Work in English Studies * Blurb from reviewer *Table of Contents1. Contexts; 2. Language, Style and Form; 3. Reading The Great Gatsby; 4. Critical Reception and Publishing History; 5. Adaptation, interpretation and influence; 6. Guide to Further Reading; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA comprehensive introduction to Jeanette Winterson's writing. This work provides students with a critical guide to Winterson's most commonly studied texts, covering major themes and developments, and issues of style, technique and genre, from a range of contemporary critical and theoretical perspectives.Trade Review"Covering all Winterson's major works over a period of 20 years, this collection of essays does full justice to the range and challenge of her writing. The attention to both the aesthetics and politics of Winterson's work, the insightfulness of the critical approaches and the lucidity of the style make this a stimulating read." Mary Eagleton, Reader in Cultural Studies, Leeds Metropolitan University"Table of ContentsIntroduction: Winterson and Her Critics - Sonya Andermahr; 1. Storytelling and Feminism - Lucie Armitt; 2. Winterson's Dislocated Discourses - Helena Grice and Tim Woods; 3. Fabulous Bodies - Jane Haslett; 4. Desire and Language - Jennifer Gustar; 5. Reading and the Reader - Ginette Carpenter; 7. Reinventing the Romance - Sonya Andermahr; 8. Religion and Spirituality - Michelle Denby; 9. Wintersonian Masculinities - Philip Tew; 10. Theatre and TV adaptation - Sonia Maria Melchiorre; 10: Winterson's Recent Work: Navigating Realism and Postmodernism - Gavin Keulks; Suggested Further Reading and Web Resources; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOffers a critical introduction to the play, "Angels in America", giving students an overview of the background and context; analysis of the play including its structure, style and characters; and an analysis of key production issues and choices.Table of ContentsSeries Preface; 1. Background; 2. Angels in America; 3. Production Analysis; 4. Performance History; 5. From Stage to Screen; 6. Annotated bibliography, guide to further reading; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith its engaging alteration between past and present "Arcadia" offers a comedic and entertaining exploration of chaos theory, entropy, the Second Law of thermodynamics, iterated algorithms, fractals, and other concepts culled the realms of math and science. This guide provides students a comprehensive critical introduction to the play.Trade Review"An enlightening entryway into Stoppard's luminous play, Fleming's commentary on Arcadia is informed by his attention to theatrical issues as well as his deep understanding of the of the play's multilayered themes." - Professor Michael Vanden Heuvel, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA"Fleming's book offers the student and Stoppard enthusiast a fully researched and clearly written analysis of what many call Stoppard's best play. From the background and context section describing Stoppard's entire oeuvre to date, to the final section offering suggestions for teaching Arcadia, this book situates the play squarely within Stoppard's writing about science. Fleming's precise analyses of the play's characters and his informed discussion of its themes offer the student and instructor an intelligent framework for understanding Arcadia as a profound and comic play of ideas." - Katherine E. Kelly, Texas A&M University, USA Briefly reviewed in the Year's work in English Studies journal, vol 89, No. 1 ‘Drawing on previously unpublished material with Stoppard, Fleming's volume traces the history of the play's production and its cultural and historical context'Table of ContentsGeneral Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Background and Context; 2. Analysis and Commentary; 3. Production History; 4. Workshopping the Play; Timeline; Further Reading; References; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisKazuo Ishiguro is one of the finest and most accomplished contemporary writers of his generation. The short story author, television writer and novelist, has produced a body of work which is just as critically-acclaimed as it is popular with the general public. This book presents critical essays on Kazuo Ishiguro.Trade Review"Kazuo Ishiguro is a magnificently diverse and elusive writer and this volume's rich multiplicity of perspectives suits him perfectly. It is required reading for those who are studying or simply enchanted by his fiction - criticism at its most absorbing and spirited." - Professor Richard Bradford, Professor of Literary History & Theory at the University of Ulster, UK"This illuminating collection recontextualizes all of Kazuo Ishiguro's novels and his often-neglected short stories; it offers new and exciting critical insights into his literary craft as well as examines his work in cinema and visual arts. Editors Groes and Matthews have generated a timely and engrossing text on this important contemporary British author, one that is sure to be referenced often by readers and critics of Ishiguro's works."- Cynthia Wong, Associate Professor, Department of English, University of Colorado Denver, USAThis expertly edited volume on Ishiguro's work, which concludes with an interview with the author, should prove invaluable to scholars and students working on his fiction- whether on single novels or stories, or his work as a whole. -- Routledge ABES... the chapters in this book are a valuable contribution to the increasing body of work on Ishiguro. -- The Year's Work in English Studies, Volume 90Table of ContentsPreface - Haruki Murakami; General Introduction; Biography / Chronology; 1: Reading Never Let Me Go, John Mullan (University College London); 2: 'I don't want to think about things too much': Ishiguro's Short Fiction in Context, Brian W. Shaffer (Rhodes College); 3. Ishiguro's Writing for the Screen, Paul-Daniel Veyret (University of Bordeaux); 4. The Unconsoled as Minor Literature, Tim Jarvis; 5. Myth, Mortality and Transcendence in Never Let Me Go and Remains of the Day, J'annine Jobling (Liverpool Hope University); 6. The construction of gender identity in A Pale View of Hills, An Artist of the Floating World and The Remains of the Day, Justine Baillie (University of Greenwich); 7. Rereading Never Let Me Go, Mark Currie (University of East Anglia); 8. Of Vision and Blindness: Kazuo's thinking about the First and Second World War, Sean Matthews; 9.Cultural Amnesia in The Unconsoled and Never Let Me Go, Julika Griem (Technische Universitat Darmstadt); 10. Interview with Kazuo Ishiguro by Sean Matthews (University of Nottingham); Further Reading; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA new approach to the field of inter-American literary studies that provides insight into Faulkner's impact and other commonalities among key writers of the South and Spanish America.

Read more less