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Jack London’s is hailed for its naturalistic explorations and for its confrontation of notions of heroism and courage. This presents a selection of critical essays about London and his enduring…
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Though critical opinion of the literary merit of Edgar Allan Poe’s writing has varied widely since his death in 1849, his tales have remained popular for their gothic sensibilities and…
Published in 1947, A Streetcar Named Desire garnered Tennessee Williams the Pulitzer Prize and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award. This title offers fresh insight into one of the…
Produced after the death of Eugene O'Neill, Long Day’s Journey into Night is generally considered the author’s masterpiece and a seminal drama of the 20th century. This title offers a…
The mythic patterns Toni Morrison explores in her third novel inform the transformation of Milkman Dead . This title traces Milkman’s journey from spiritual death to understanding and acceptance of…
August Wilson’s group of 10 plays, often referred to as the Pittsburgh Cycle or the Century Cycle, established his reputation as one of the nation’s most important, prolific, and honored…
Through a series of critically acclaimed novels, including Blood Meridian , All the Pretty Horses , No Country for Old Men , and The Road , Cormac McCarthy established himself…
Generations of readers have embraced Jane Austen’s seminal work Pride and Prejudice , moving on to discover her other much-loved novels, including Emma , Sense and Sensibility , and Mansfield…
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Focuses on the principal African-American poets from colonial times to the Harlem Renaissance and the World War II era. This title covers poets that include Phillis Wheatley, author of the…
Identity and belonging are just two of the many themes Asian-American writers have explored. This work evaluates this important body of American literature. It discusses canonical writers such as Maxine…
All Quiet on the Western Front served as Remarque’s attempt to confront and ultimately rid himself of the graphic and haunting memories of his time serving in World War I…
Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God , depicts a woman’s struggle for personal awareness and self-empowerment and has inspired many of the African-American women writers who have…
A Farewell to Arms is Hemingway’s lyrical look at World War I and is marked by the Nobel laureate’s spare style and intensity of emotion. Critics debate whether this novel…
The Bluest Eye is one of Toni Morrison’s most powerful novels. This guide to The Bluest Eye features excerpts of critical essays, an annotated bibliography, and an index.
The Joy Luck Club explores the lives of the women in four Chinese-American families and the daughters who struggle to fulfill or reject the cultural and familial expectations placed on…
Harold Bloom
– Brings together the best criticism on the most widely read poets, novelists, and playwrights – Presents complex critical portraits of the most influential writers in the English-speaking world –…
Things Fall Apart, set in Nigeria about a century ago, is widely regarded as Chinua Achebe’s masterpiece. Considered one of the most broadly read African novels, Achebe’s work responded to…
Tracing the rise of Napoleon as the leader of the barnyard animals and his ensuing dictatorship in the farmyard community, this title depicts the slide from revolution to totalitarianism. It…
Focuses on Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man through a selection of critical essays. This title also includes an index for easy reference, notes on the contributing writers, a bibliography of the…
Captured by Germans in World War II, soldier Kurt Vonnegut and other prisoners of war were taken to Dresden, Germany. Several weeks later, American and British planes firebombed Dresden. Amazingly…
Compared to the works of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf, The House on Mango Street is made up of lyrical passages, interconnected vignettes, and meditations and observations that resemble prose…
Through the years, this Canadian writer has emerged as a master of the short story. The compressed and encapsulated energies of the form allow Alice Munro to peel away at…
From the modernist explorations of the first half of the 20th century to the diverse styles and practitioners of the 21st century, contemporary American poetry has forged a vital and…
Widely acclaimed as one of the finest short story writers, Flannery O'Connor’s stories include A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Everything That Rises Must Converge . This collection…
William Shakespeare’s comedies - including A Midsummer Night’s Dream , As You Like It , Twelfth Night , and The Merchant of Venice - have served as templates for other…
In Shakespeare’s powerful drama of destiny and revenge, Hamlet , the troubled prince of Denmark, must overcome his own self-doubt and avenge the murder of his father. This study guides…
William Shakespeare is defined by his tragedies. This title includes full-length critical essays that take up the Bard’s tragic dramas, offering perspectives on the fated lives of King Lear, Hamlet…
Julius Caesar is one of Shakespeare’s most majestic works. Set in the tumultuous days of ancient Rome, the play is renowned for its memorable characters and political intrigue. Examining the…
Walt Whitman’s passionate writing style and bold subject matter have influenced American poetry. This volume features a selection of essays from the 19th and early 20th centuries that offer students…
Edgar Allan Poe not only wrote such gothic classics as The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Fall of the House of Usher, he also lived a haunted life worthy…
Examines the work of Ernest Hemingway as one of the most influential writers in the English speaking world, considering the best of his work as a permanent part of the…
History’s greatest playwrights are covered in one set- Expert analyses by Harold Bloom and other notable critics- Ideal for class use- A must for all serious students of literature- Edited…
Russian novelist, journalist, short story writer born in Moscow in 1821, a writer whose psychological penetration into the human soul had a profound influence on the 20th century novel. An…
Offers a brief biography of Stendhal and discusses the plot, characters, and themes of The Red and the Black and The Charterhouse of Parma..
A collection of critical essays on Kafka and his work arranged in chronological order of publication.
George Eliot is perhaps most appreciated for her ability to synthesize moral and aesthetic concerns. She has been compared to Shakespeare and Dante in her role as a moral authority…
One of the most influential writers of this century, Kafka’s work, most notably ‘The Metamorphosis’, ‘The Castle’, and ‘The Trial’, did not gain widespread recognition until after his death. Ages…
A collection of critical essays discuss the works of the French writer.
Offers a brief biography of Thomas Pynchon and discusses the plots, characters, and themes of The Crying of Lot 49, V, Gravity’s Rainbow, and Mason & Dixon..
A collection of critical essays discusses the works of the French novelist, including contributions by David F. Bell, Alexander Fischler, and Martin Kanes.
Essays discuss the major themes of poetry during World War I written by Rupert Brooke and Siegried Sassoon.
Offers a biographical profile of the poet and provides analyses and critical views of his work.
Brings together the best criticism on the most widely read poets, novelists, and playwrights- Presents complex critical portraits of the most influential writers in the English-speaking world–from the English medievalists…
Presents plot summaries, lists of characters, and critical views of the author’s most famous short stories.
A collection of critical essays discuss the works of the American author.
A collection of critical essays discuss the works of the French author.
A critical examination of James Joyce’s character Leopold Bloom features such contributors as David Hayman, Hugh Kenner, and Marilyn Reizbaum.
Comprehensive critical views of the major literary movements in Western literary history - now available in paperback First time in paperback Critical essays discuss the works of the major dramatists…
