Backpack Literature (2nd Edition) (Kennedy/Gioia Literature Series) (Paperback)

by X. J. Kennedy (Author), Dana Gioia (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The smallest and most economical member of the Kennedy/Gioia family, Backpack Literature, 2/e, features the authors' collective poetic voice which brings personal warmth and a human perspective to the discussion of literature, adding to students' interest in the readings.

From the Back Cover

BACKPACK LITERATURE
An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing
Second Edition

X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia

Carry literature in your backpack as well as in your heart. With new contemporary and classic selections and an emphasis on writing, Backpack Literature will motivate you to read, think, and write about literature! You’ll like the size because it easily fits into your backpack and makes taking the book to class a breeze.

Backpack Literature includes a powerful range of stories, poems, and plays that will give you a chance to meet some of the world’s most memorable characters. Written by two published poets, Kennedy and Gioia, this textbook is lively, accessible, and engaging. When you read literature, you learn how to see the world from another person’s point of view–an ability that will benefit you in your professional and personal life.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SECOND EDITION

• New–6 stories, 50 poems, and 3 plays add to the rich array of contemporary and classic voices you’ll find in Backpack.
• New–More than a dozen production photos illustrating Othello’s major scenes and characters to help you visualize the action of the play.
• New–Chapter 28 includes step-by-step coverage of the writing process and shows you how to put your thoughts into writing by developing a workable thesis and supporting it with evidence. Easy-to-use checklists help to keep you on track.
• New–Annotated student sample papers let you see how other students have tackled their writing assignments.

Visit www.mypearsonstore.com and find your textbook by author, title, or ISBN to see what study aids and supplemental material are available with your textbook.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1232 pages
• Publisher: Longman; 2 edition (October 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205551033
• ISBN-13: 978-0205551033
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,632 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling choice, December 15, 2005

By	Samuel Chell (Kenosha,, WI United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Backpack Literature (Paperback)

Overpriced like most textbooks but probably the only introductory literature anthology since Benjamin LaMott's "Close Imagining" (McGraw Hill) that I'd use a second time. It's compact yet very generous and representative. For example, you can pair "Young Goodman Brown" with "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" or "A Rose for Emily" with "Barn Burning" or "A & P" with "Araby." Most of the frequently taught poems are here, and there are more plays--from Sophocles to Arthur Miller--than would ever fit into a single-semester course. And the Appendices are priceless--more useful information than is found in popular writing Handbooks along with exemplary student essays (a particularly handy feature).

I've previously used the big Kennedy and Gioia Intro text. Not only did the binding begin to fall apart on me mid-way though the semester but the amount of material--most of it never assigned--simply added to the guilt any instructor who emphasizes close reading of individual texts is bound to feel. Also, any introductory literature course that even purports to be representative must include some examples of the most important modern genre of all--the novel. Add "Great Expectations" and "The Great Gatsby" to the course and you'll see why the shorter, more compact anthology is the only one to consider. In fact, I might even settle for a "back pocket" version.

(My experiences with the complementary (but not really "complimentary") internet site--which my students never seemed to be able to access--would suggest that it would best be ignored. Go for the DVD or a price break instead.)

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad At All, June 14, 2007

By	Boricua (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Backpack Literature (Paperback)

I'm a student and this textbook was assigned for my intro to literature class. I was surprised by how much I actually ENJOYED this textbook! There is a lot of good writing in it, some great examples of literature, which made for interesting class discussions. I even found myself reading a lot of the passages that weren't assigned, just out of curiousity, and most of them were really quite enjoyable.

2.0 out of 5 stars Backpack Literature :(, June 28, 2009

By	Kelsey J. Severtson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book was in EXTREMELY poor condition. The description provided said "wrinkled cover". So I really got took. I will not be able to sell this book for nearly as much as I paid for it. On the whole, I was extremely disappointed.