The Literature Teacher's Book Of Lists (J-B Ed: Book of Lists) (Paperback)

by Judie L. H. Strouf (Author) "So what is literature?..." (more)
Key Phrases: poetry glossary, lines rhyme scheme, comic format, World War, Mark Twain, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"The Literature Teacher's Book of Lists is one of the first resources I turn to when beginning any literature unit. It is well organized, comprehensive and extensively cross-referenced--in short, indispensable!"
--Dee Brtt, library media specialist, Valley Schools, Boulder, Colorado

"What better resource for teachers for ESOL than The Literature Teacher's Book of Lists for making language acquisition both stimulating and enjoyable."
--Joseph P. Glendenning, bilingual educator, Eastern Massachusetts Literacy Council, Inc.

"Judie Strouf's encyclopedic Literature Teacher's Book of Lists is truly amazing! I recommend it enthusiastically to all my students--especially those who are prospective teachers."
--Michael Flachmann, professor of English, California State University, Bakersfield and 1995 Carnegie Foundation United States Professor of the Year

"Nobody but erudite Judie Strouf could write a more comprehensive, clear cut, concise reference guide. A treasure and a must for all teachers and those who love to read."
--Ethel Neidoff, president, The Sun City West Writers Group

"This quality resource of literature, especially for young adults, is beneficial for anyone not strictly educators. Parents, and even students, might use Ms. Strouf's book in selecting appropriate reading materials. During this stage in education when reading at grade level is a serious problem, this reference would greatly assist anyone in need of such information."
--Cheri Zangmeister, English and reading teacher, Southern High School, Louisville, Kentucky

"Yes! This second edition has been updated and strongly detailed! A masterful compilation forming a vital link between knowledge and enjoyment."
--Walter C. Kluz, an avid reader of quality literature, Sun City, Arizona --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
These 247 reproducible lists for anyone who loves books are organized into 9 sections: Introduction to Literature, Books for All Ages, Genres for Every Taste, Poetry, Drama, Themes, Literary Periods, Potpourri, and Reference & Aids. Also includes various individual lists such as reading for teens and authors' last words. A helpful teachers' resource.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass (June 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087628554X
• ISBN-13: 978-0876285541
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,241,114 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Literature:A Starting Point, October 25, 2003

By	Martin Asiner (jersey city, nj United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Americans seem fascinated by a top ten list of any category, so it is no surprise that someone has put together a top ten list for literature. Jodie Strouf in her THE LITERATURE TEACHER'S BOOK OF LISTS has attempted to encapsulate the broad swath of human endeavour that we call literature. Though the title suggests that the target audience is limited to teachers of literature, clearly anyone with even a modicum of interest in things literary can benefit. Strouf's chapter headings tell a great deal about how she organizes the rather bulky spectrum that most well-educated readers already know. Typical headers include (1) Literature: An Introduction (2)Books For All Ages (3)Genres For All Tastes (4)Poetry (5)Drama (6)Themes (7) Literary Periods (8)Potpourri (9) Endings & References. The value of Strouf's text is considerable in that many general readers would like to have a handy one page reference that gives a plot summary of a dozen words or less for all of Shakespeare's plays. Or perhaps you might need to know which famous works have been banned as being overly salacious (The 1969 version of the AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY puts in a surprise appearance). Or even which novels have physical disabilities as an underlying theme.

As I read this list of lists, I could see that there is nearly an infinity of uses for it. A high school teacher might use it to plan a curriculum of guided reading. A college teacher could photocopy relevant categories of minutiae that correspond with an undergraduate course in Lit 101. The well-educated layman could even derive pleasure in finding a tidy order in the disorder of written ideas that stretches back to antiquity. There are not many reference books that one could read as opposed to look up some arcane point. THE LITERATURE TEACHER'S BOOK OF LISTS is one such treasured example.

38 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile and interesting but buyer beware!, December 5, 2003

By	K. D Kirk "workingpants" (Fairfax, VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I don't teach literature and am not am not an academic, but a reasonably well-read individual could a.) take issue with many of these lists, and b.) find errors in the book. So caveat emptor. For example:

1. The Trojan Horse is listed on pg. 17 as being covered in The Iliad and The Aeneid. So far as I recollect, there is zero mention of the Trojan Horse incident in the Iliad. That, fellow readers, comes briefly in the Odyssey, and yes... much, much later, in the Aeneid.

2. Incorrect info, probably typos, on the Androcles and the Lion fable.

3. Explaining Deconstructionism as 'reaction against the structuralism amd its anti-humanistic, ostentatious over-analysis of literature as a basis for judging its value". Thanks, now explain what the heck that means.

4. Page 44 list of Major Literary Critics excludes H.L. Mencken and Harold Bloom and Malcolm Cowley? Come on.

5. Page 93. Eliot's Four Quartets is classified as an 'epic'? So is Brecht's play, Mother Courage? Epic?

6. Page 123. Yet again, the literati can't figure out that Fitzgerald's second novel is just The Beautiful and Damned, not "and THE Damned." Typo? Come on. Know your stuff. On Page 130 a Jean Auel novel is mistitled too.

7. Speaking of Fitzgerald, he's listed as an American Novel Master (he published 4 novels) but not as an American Short Story Master (he published over 150 short stories). He was better known for his short stories. By the way, where is Don DeLillo? Not on American novel masters at all!

8. Western Masters: Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour and Larry McMurtry are in there, but not Cormac McCarthy?

9. And a crowning complaint... Major Poets from Other Lands is the category. Nowhere listed is GOETHE!!! The greatest or among the top 3 greatest European, if not Western or World poets ever!!! Arthur Rimbaud, the 19 year old Frenchman, author of a couple score poems is there. Holderlin and Heine are there for pete's sake. No Goethe? Its hard to the lists seriously after an oversight of that magnitude.

Other than all that. On balance, its a great way to spend time if you love literature. Cool lists. For teachers, its good I suppose. Just realize some errors and oversights...some small, some HUGE.

15 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good reference material, March 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Literature Teacher's Book of Lists (J-B Ed: Book of Lists) (Spiral-bound)

This book was not quite what I was looking for, which was a jumping off point to find books to become well-read for college because it was so overwhelming and there are so many books, but once I became used to it, it was much easier to use and has helped me in my reading search.