Continuum Encyclopedia of British Literature [Hardcover]

Steven R. Serafin (Author), Valerie Grosvenor Myer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0826414567 | ISBN-13: 978-0826414564 | Publication Date: April 25, 2003

The most complete and up-to-date reference work available on all of British literature1,200 entries by more than 200 authorities70 topical entriesComplements The Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature (1999) called "A wise purchase as an update and complement to the Oxford Companion" by Library Journal.The history of British literature is one of extraordinary breadth and complexity, extending from Aneirin and the poet of Widsith to Caedmon and the poet of Beowulf; from Geoffrey of Monmouth to Geoffrey Chaucer; from Spenser to Shakespeare; Donne and Milton to Dryden; Dr. Johnson to Keats, Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Blake; from Thackeray, Dickens, Kipling, and Hardy to the modern and postmodern eras.This book is a comprehensive guide to all British literature, including literature in English from the colonial and postcolonial periods in Africa, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, India, and New Zealand. Important authors from these areas are covered in substantive topical articles on their respective literatures. The contributors, from the UK and US, are all experts in their fields, and include:R. S. White on William BlakeW. H. New on Canadian Literature in EnglishDerek Brewer on Geoffrey ChaucerIan Ousby on Detective Fiction before 1945David Kirby on ExpatriatesMerryn Williams on Thomas HardySandie Byrne on Tony HarrisonFred Marchant on Ted HughesPeter Barnes on Ben JonsonIan MacKillop on F. R. LeavisNorman Kelvin on William MorrisClaire Tomalin on Samuel PepysPeter Finch on Poetry since 1945>

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up-Like Serafin's Encyclopedia of American Literature (Continuum, 1999), this reference work provides a fascinating current take on the canon. It aims to be up-to-date: Zadie Smith (b. 1975) gets a full page. It notes a writer's style and ideas, not just dates and titles. Among its strongest features are 70 topical articles that explore literary connections with music, politics, war, the city, film, popular song, religion, humor, law, counterculture, etc. A lucid exposition of postmodernism, for instance, ties the use of the term in general culture to its literary associations. The volume's sharp focus and depth complement the detailed plot summaries, rhetorical terms, biographical details, and entries on continental authors in The Oxford Companion to English Literature (Oxford, 2000). Writers as different as Isabel Colegate, Benjamin Zephaniah, and Mervyn Peake may reach a wider audience in the U.S., thanks to the sensitive appreciations in the Encyclopedia. Of course, most readers will have a quibble: they may wish that J. M. Coetzee had a full entry or that Patrick Leigh Fermor got a nod, at least, in the travel essay. They may be frustrated by the fact that the index does not include titles. And the 70 essays, excellent as their overall level is, are of less utility as introductions to their topics because they don't always mention those writers who are important enough to have their own entries. However, the historical/literary time line and the lists of prize titles alone will keep researchers happy.
Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Intended to complement Continuum's Encyclopedia of American Literature (1999), this compendium covers "literature that is by definition British in scope or origin, including the literatures written in English from the colonial to the postcolonial experience in Africa, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, India, and New Zealand." However, it does not provide separate articles on authors from these areas unless their nationality is British. The team of more than 200 contributors includes academics from a variety of countries as well as such distinguished authors as Peter Barnes and Claire Tomalin.

Most of the encyclopedia's 1,700 entries are devoted to writers. The only title entries are for early works by unknown authors, for example, Ancrene Wisse and beowulf. The 69 topical articles provide lengthy historical overviews of specific genres, themes, literary periods, and geographical areas. Among these are Caribbean literature in English, Feminism, Old English, and War and literature. With the exception of brief author entries of approximately 300 words or less, articles are signed and include bibliographical references.

Coverage of newer authors such as Iain Banks, Roddy Doyle, J. K. Rowling, and Zadie Smith is commendably generous, but some entries for living authors lack currency. For example, the articles on Fleur Adcock, Brian Aldiss, and Paul Theroux mention none of their publications from the past decade. Moreover, the editors' policy regarding British nationality limits treatment of many notable writers from Commonwealth countries (such as Booker Prize winners Peter Carey, J. M. Coetzee, and Thomas Keneally) to brief mentions in the survey articles.

Fortunately, the volume has a detailed index, which is invaluable for locating information on authors not accorded separate entries and cross-references from pseudonyms and variant names. Supplementary material includes a chronological chart noting historical and literary highlights, lists of monarchs and poets laureate, and lists of literary prizewinners.

With more than 7,000 entries, the sixth edition of The Oxford Companion to English Literature (2000) provides more comprehensive coverage of English-language literatures. On the other hand, Continuum frequently offers greater depth because its entries are generally longer. For example, the Continuum article on playwright David Hare is five times longer than the one in the Oxford Companion. In spite of its flaws, this work will be a useful addition to public and academic libraries. However, its steep price may prohibit its purchase by the smaller libraries that would benefit the most from its contents. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1200 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (April 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826414567
• ISBN-13: 978-0826414564
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 7.7 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,167,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)