How Literature Works by John SutherlandHow Literature Works is an indispensable book for any reader seeking a greater appreciation of their favorite novel, poem, or play. It offers a lively and straightforward guide to literary thinking. It includes basic descriptive terms (ambiguity, epic), the core vocabulary of literary culture (genre, style), and devices employed by authors (irony, defamiliarization). More broadly, How Literature Works explores the animating concepts behind literary theory (textuality, sexual politics), traces the forces that impact literature's role in the real world (obscenity, plagiarism), and grapples with the future of reading (fanfic, e-book).
How to Write Essays and Dissertations by Alan Durant; Nigel FabbGuide to writing essays and dissertations for English literature students offers step-by-step instruction on each stage of writing, from organising initial ideas through to submitting a completed piece of work. It also explains the general principles that underlie essay topics and exam questions, building on a description of those principles to help you develop effective writing and editing strategies.
This Thing Called Literature by Andrew Bennett; Nicholas RoyleThe book's three parts reflect the fundamental components of studying literature: reading, thinking and writing. The authors use helpful, familiar examples throughout, offering rich reflections on the question 'What is literature?' and on what they term 'creative reading'. Bennett and Royle's lucid and friendly style encourages a deep engagement with literary texts. This book is not only an essential guide to the study of literature, but an eloquent defence of the discipline.