A Short History of English Literature

By Robert Barnard

Book Overview

Thoroughly updated to include writers such as Caryl Churchill, Brian Friel, Martin Amis and Graham Swift, this book remains the best overall survey of English literature available. Robert Barnard looks selectively at the most important writers within each period from the time of Chaucer, and focuses on one or two of their works in detail. He deals briefly with the earlier periods and more fully with the last two centuries, moving right to the present with a detailed coverage of the post-war novel and theatre. In the best sense eclectic, his book draws together history, criticism, established ideas and fresh views.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0631137629
• ISBN13: 9780631137627
• Release Date: January 1984
• Publisher: Blackwell Publishers
• Length: 218 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Truly short, but good

Table of Contents:Ch. 1 The Age of Chaucer, Ch. 2 Sixteenth Century Poetry and Prose, Ch. 3 The Beginnings of Drama, Ch. 4 Shakespeare, Ch. 5 Stuart Drama, Ch. 6 Poetry - Donne to Milton, Ch. 7 The Restoration, Ch. 8 The Eighteenth Century, Ch. 9 The Rise of the Novel, Ch. 10 The Birth of Romanticism, Ch. 11 Romantics and Anti-Romantics, Ch. 12 The Early Victorian Novelists, Ch. 13 The Early Victorian Poets, Ch. 14 The Late Victorians, Ch. 15 The Birth of Modern Poetry, Ch. 16 The Birth of the Modern Novel, Ch. 17 Depression and War, Ch. 18 Twentieth-century Drama, Ch. 19 From the Fifties to the Nineties, IndexNow in its second edition, "A Short History of English Literature" is a very accessible piece that is perfect for those readers who did not major in literature, but want to get their feet wet. Robert Barnard does an excellent job of taking the reader on a walk through the history of literature giving helpful historical information along the way. He touches on biographical information, analyses of individual works, and helpful comparisons and contrasts between works of different authors. Also, when necessary, information about historical (i.e. cultural and political) context is given without falling into messy swamps of detail.The reason I have given it four starts instead of five is that it lacks student friendly organization. In other words, helpful devices such as outlines, subheadings, chapter summaries, and lists of key points, are absent. The book is good, but more attention to organization would make it great.Barnard's book is an easy-to-read introduction that can be read as you sit in your favorite armchair, sipping a cup of coffee. I have truly enjoyed it.