Customer Reviews

Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense

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This literature book has a wealth of knowledge for creative writers. This book is a goldmine regarding literature and how it impacts on structure, sound and sense. I really enjoyed the section on poetry. It covers the elements of poetry in an excellent fashion. One is able to get an enhanced understanding of literature and the various aspects of such a dynamic subject, regarding poetry, fiction and non-fiction. The selected pieces in the book are easily read, and are packed with images. Get ready to read a great literature book and be prepared for an accelerated boost in the world of literature. This is also a great reference book for future use. Other great books for relaxation are: "Trilogy Moments for the Mind, Body and Soul," which feature the new Epulaeryu poetry form, "Everyday Miracles," and "The Language of Poetry Forms."

I had to buy this book for a class and have been impressed with how many writings it contains. It also discusses different styles and provides in-depth descriptions to make the poetry and stories more understandable to the average reader. I would recommend this book for someone interested in reading fine literature. It also comes in handy for writers as well.

New editions of this book continue being published to have teachers require "the new edition" from students. This way the publisher and the compilers keep on plundering unashamedly the parents' pockets. Interestingly, to compile comes from the latin "compilare", which means to plunder. Compilation as it is, plus "obvious" literary theory, this book should cost no more than its weight in paper plus a few dollars. The obvious recommendation to the student is: when completed the course sell this "brick" before a new edition appears, and buy and read the full versions of the classics (Sophocles, Shakespeare, Lord Tennyson, Ibsen, Chekhov, Faulkner, Melville, Browning, J. Keats, Donne, Wordsworth, W. B. Yeats, ...); disregard all the remaining mediocre authors this book includes. Regarding Sophocles, Oedipux Rex, the translation the compilers have chosen is by Duddley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Fitts was a playwriter, and Fitzgerald, academic as he was and popularly known for his translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey, was never a "translator" but a "paraphraser". Read the translations by Lattimore for a "taste" of the originals, or better: the translations by Murray. Regarding "obvious" literary theory a few sentences choosen at random from the 9th edition will suffice: Drama "normally presents its action (a) through actors, (b) on stage, and (c) before an audience" (pp.1028).
"The sharpness and vividness of any image will ordinarily depend on how specific it is and on the poet's use of effective detail" (pp. 702).
"Talented authors achieve compression by exercising a careful selectivity" (pp. 274).

I am an A.P. teacher who ordered several copies from Amazon, and after a year, the bindings on the books were destroyed. Not from mistreatment, they were destroyed from mere usage. I contacted my representive from Thomson who said that since I went through Amazon, I had to take it up with them. So I did. They said that after thirty days, it is not their problem.
My suggestion is, first and foremost, find another book. Sure the content is unparalleled, but the service from the publisher is awful. Second, if you must have this book, don't use Amazon. Go order this book directly from the publisher or you will lose your investment. For me, each book came out to be about $80. At seven books, my school district can't afford that each year.