Literary History Books

New and Published Books

1. Epic

   By Paul Innes

   Series: The New Critical Idiom

   This student guidebook offers a clear introduction to an often complex and unwieldy area of literary studies. Tracing epic from its ancient and classical roots through postmodern and contemporary examples this volume discusses: a wide range of writers including Homer, Vergil, Ovid, Dante,...

   Published January 29th 2013 by Routledge
2. The Stubborn Structure (Routledge Revivals)

   Essays on Criticism and Society

   By Northrop Frye

   First published in 1970, this collection is made up of a selection of essays composed between 1962 and 1968, written by distinguished humanist and literary critic Northrop Frye. The book is divided into two parts: one deals largely with the contexts of literary criticism; the other offers more...

   Published January 29th 2013 by Routledge
3. Imagining the Pagan Past

   Gods and Goddesses in Literature and History since the Dark Ages

   By Marion Gibson

   Imagining the Pagan Past explores stories of Britain’s pagan history. These tales have been characterised by gods and fairies, folklore and magic. They have had an uncomfortable relationship with the scholarly world; often being seen as historically dubious, self-indulgent romance and, worse,...

   Published January 22nd 2013 by Routledge
4. The Epic Trickster in American Literature

   From Sunjata to So(u)l

   By Gregory E. Rutledge

   Series: Routledge Studies in Twentieth-Century Literature

   Just as Africa and the West have traditionally fit into binaries of Darkness/Enlightenment, Savage/Modern, Ugly/Beautiful, and Ritual/Art, among others, much of Western cultural production rests upon the archetypal binary of Trickster/Epic, with trickster aesthetics and commensurate cultural forms...

   Published December 20th 2012 by Routledge
5. William Blake and the Digital Humanities

   Collaboration, Participation, and Social Media

   By Roger Whitson, Jason Whittaker

   Series: Routledge Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Literature

   William Blake’s work demonstrates two tendencies that are central to social media: collaboration and participation. Not only does Blake cite and adapt the work of earlier authors and visual artists, but contemporary authors, musicians, and filmmakers feel compelled to use Blake in their own...

   Published December 18th 2012 by Routledge
6. Reading the Early Modern Dream

   The Terrors of the Night

   Edited by Sue Wiseman, Katharine Hodgkin, Michelle O'Callaghan

   Series: Routledge Studies in Renaissance Literature and Culture

   Dreams have been significant in many different cultures, carrying messages about this world and others, posing problems about knowledge, truth, and what it means to be human. This thought-provoking collection of essays explores dreams and visions in early modern Europe, canvassing the place of the...

   Published December 14th 2012 by Routledge
7. The Romance of Arthur

   An Anthology of Medieval Texts in Translation, 3rd Edition

   Edited by Norris Lacy, James Wilhelm

   The Romance of Arthur, James J. Wilhelm’s classic anthology of Arthurian literature, is an essential text for students of the medieval Romance tradition. This fully updated third edition presents a comprehensive reader, mapping the course of Arthurian literature, and is expanded to cover: key...

   Published December 6th 2012 by Routledge
8. The Routledge Concise History of Latino/a Literature

   By Frederick Aldama

   Series: Routledge Concise Histories of Literature

   The Routledge Concise History of Latino/a Literature presents the first comprehensive overview of these popular, experimental and diverse literary cultures. Frederick Luis Aldama traces a historical path through Latino/a literature, examining both the historical and political contexts of the works...

   Published December 5th 2012 by Routledge
9. The Routledge Concise History of Twentieth-Century British Literature

   By Ashley Dawson

   Series: Routledge Concise Histories of Literature

   In The Routledge Companion to Twentieth-Century British Literature Ashley Dawson identifies the key British writers and texts, shaped by era-defining cultural and historical events and movements from the period. He provides: Analysis of works by a diverse range of influential authors Examination...

   Published November 27th 2012 by Routledge
10. The Nation in Children’s Literature

    Nations of Childhood

    Edited by Kit Kelen, Bjorn Sundmark

    Series: Children's Literature and Culture

    This book explores the meaning of nation or nationalism in children’s literature and how it constructs and represents different national experiences. The contributors discuss diverse aspects of children’s literature and film from interdisciplinary and multicultural approaches, ranging from the...

    Published November 25th 2012 by Routledge