Essential Literary Terms: A Norton Guide with Exercises. [Paperback]

Sharon Hamilton (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0393928373 | ISBN-13: 978-0393928372 | Publication Date: November 9, 2006 | Edition: Brief

Essential Literary Terms offers clear, concise definitions over 220 must-know literary terms for introductory students.

Drawing on her extensive teaching experience, Sharon Hamilton uses classroom-tested examples and exercises to reinforce students’ understanding and help them apply what they learn in their own writing.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sharon Hamilton (Ph.D. Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) has taught college literature courses at Eastern Michigan, Baylor, and Hunter, and advanced-placement English at Phillips Exeter Academy and the Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, where she currently teaches. She is an award-winning teacher, NEH teaching workshop leader, and AP Consultant for the College Board. She is author of Shakespeare’s Daughters, Shakespeare: A Teaching Guide, as well as multiple books on solving common writing problems.

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Brief edition (November 9, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393928373
• ISBN-13: 978-0393928372
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Books & Reading > Reference

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear, deep explanations with exercises, May 10, 2008

By 

John C. Dunbar (Sugar Land, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essential Literary Terms: A Norton Guide with Exercises. (Paperback)

The author categorizes and provides exceedingly clear definitions of many literary terms. For example, she clears up the ambiguity between "synechdoche" and "metonymy" that other authors avoid. After her explanations, the provides exercises for many of the definitions. The quality of the material is far better than similar books.

Although the number of definitions is not as great as other books covering literary terms, the clarity and depth of explanations make the book a necessity for today's Advance Placement or college student.

My book was dated 2007.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars But a qualified four stars, July 22, 2007

By 

Looks at Books - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Essential Literary Terms: A Norton Guide with Exercises. (Paperback)

Friendly and approachable this book may be, but it does not have all the "essentials" that students and teachers may want to use the minute they encounter such terms as "romanticism," "naturalism," "realism," "magical realism," and other aspects of literary studies that are often mentioned in anthologies and histories. A truly essential guide would be briefer in some of its explanations in order to cover some more ground and thus truly be suitable as a text to accompany introductory literary studies courses.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of My Many Books for My ENGL 200 Class, October 28, 2008

By 

Ashley Francis "Literary Fanatic" (Trenton, Mi) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essential Literary Terms: A Norton Guide with Exercises. (Paperback)

I am using this book for the close reading section of this class. I have found it very helpful in doing my papers and the exercises are good practice for identifying certain aspects of literary pieces. While many students would sell this book back at the end of the semester, I will not because with being an English major, I believe that this book will still be as helpful in upper level classes as it was in a 200 level class.