Customer Reviews

The Norton Anthology of English Literature (Single-Volume 8th Edition)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The 8th edition of the Norton Anthology of English Literature is edited by Greenblatt and contains "the major authors" only. This thorough overview of the genre ranges from 15 c. Anglo Saxon literature (including Seamus Heaney's translation of "Beowulf") to some contemporary British literature (including work by JM Coetzee and Salman Rushdie). The selections are good ones and do not seem to suffer from a single editorial point of view or tone (unlike the Penguin survey edition of modern literature that is, frankly, a complete downer). This Norton edition includes classics such as John Donne's "Meditation 17", Swift's "A Modest Proposal", Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", an excerpt from Mary Wollstonecraft's "A Vindication on the Rights of Women", "Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own" and so on (it might be a bit thin on the ladies but what is included is the good stuff). As an English teacher and probable reference freak, I am pleased with it.

This edition of the Norton Anthology should be required for any literate person to own and at least leaf through, if not completely consume. It's a terrific collection of the bests of English literature, with very insightful footnotes on each piece. A good purchase, and was a good choice for my professor, who assigned it as the text for an Eng. Lit course. The only problem was the size - this tome is a monster! Definitely not something to carry to the beach, or even on a plane.

This the essential library of English literature; carefully at length selections and up to the moment editorial content, Great price. Take it with you to the desert island.

I had to purchase this for a class last year, and found it extremely helpful in understanding the works included because of the detailed introductions and headnotes for each author. But when the class was done, I sold the book for the refund. Big mistake, because another class ended up requiring it this semester.

So, I bought it again. It is a mammoth book. About 3" thick and densely packed with material (it had previously been a two-book set years ago). Even though having one book is convenient, it is really a beast to lug around.

Everything is positive about this book except the paper is very thin, almost like a vellum, so notetaking is difficult. On the other hand, you can sell it back for almost what it cost, so it was cost effective, even buying it twice! I think I will end up keeping this as a reference as it's so comprehensive.

It's highly footnoted, which means Beowulf actually made sense, but The Fairie Queen was still next to impossible!

This publication is an absolute must have for my master's degree studies. It is highly detailed with valuable information. I recommend others to purchase this publication as well.

I ordered and received the Norton's anthology, just as expected. It came on time, was in the condition described by the seller, and I had no problems with the order. Thanks!

This book takes the greatest British Literature of all time, and packs it into a single volume. It's easy to read, easy to follow, and is sure to delight anyone studying anything about British Literature.

A definite buy. A hardcover, brand-new book more than ten dollars cheaper than the used paperback at the college bookstore.

We have not gotten beyond the Anglo-Saxon period yet. However, it seems to be a very good anthology so far. Kudos to the professors who selected this book for the British Literature class.

John Keats is well covered, and so are many others. I found Sir Arthur Conan Doyle conspicuously missing, and I am not sure about why.

If you really love English literature or you just like reading, this book is great for just that purpose and much more. It is enthralling and provides a tidbit of history in order for the reader to understand different themes in a literary and historical context. It may also encourage you to do further research on any given topic. If you are an English teacher, this would be a good book to use. You will not be disappointed.

Don't pick this book up if you want a Sunday read or something. This anthology is for serious minded academic folk who want to school themselves in writing from England. I can't imagine why you would get it if you were not a student.

In any case, it gives you many works, and all are preceded by very well written introductions, including information on the author's life.

I am considering keeping it even though my course is over.