Based on the text of Margaret Drabble's 1995 edition, this sixth edition has been completely reworked and expanded. There are nearly 600 entirely new entries to reflect the new figures and issues of English Literature in the new millennium, and the existing entries have been extensively revised and updated to incorporate the latest scholarship. But this new edition remains faithful to Sir Paul Harvey's original vision of an authoritative work placing English literature from the Classical world, Europe, Latin America, and beyond. In addition to the extensive coverage of writers, works, literary theory, allusions, and characters, there are sixteen featured essay-style entries on key topics including black British literature, fantasy fiction, and modernism.
Review quote:
no guide could come more classic that The Oxford Companion to English Literature ... the literary reference source of first resort ... indispensible volume ... Contemporary international writing is excellently covered ... excellent chronology.
An extensively revised, expanded, and updated edition of the classic guide to English Literature for the new millennium - nearly 600 new entries cover new figures and issues, and existing entries have been reworked to incorporate the latest scholarship. In addition to the extensive coverage of writers, works, literary theory, allusions, and characters, there are sixteen featured essay-style entries on key topics including black British literature, fantasy fiction and modernism. The text has been written by a team of more than 140 contributors under Margaret Drabble's editorial direction, including such distinguished names as Brian Aldiss, Lisa Appignanesi, Penelope Fitzgerald, Roy Porter, and Salman Rushdie, each writing on his or her specialist field of knowledge.
Review quote:
no guide could come more classic that The Oxford Companion to English Literature ... the literary reference source of first resort ... indispensible volume ... Contemporary international writing is excellently covered ... excellent chronology.
An extensively revised, expanded, and updated edition of the classic guide to English Literature for the new millennium - nearly 600 new entries cover new figures and issues, and existing entries have been reworked to incorporate the latest scholarship. In addition to the extensive coverage of writers, works, literary theory, allusions, and characters, there are sixteen featured essay-style entries on key topics including black British literature, fantasy fiction and modernism. The text has been written by a team of more than 140 contributors under Margaret Drabble's editorial direction, including such distinguished names as Brian Aldiss, Lisa Appignanesi, Penelope Fitzgerald, Roy Porter, and Salman Rushdie, each writing on his or her specialist field of knowledge.