Literary History & Criticism

Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a modern American classic....

Every Thursday morning for two years in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a bold and inspired teacher named Azar Nafisi secretly gathered seven of her most committed female students to read....

From James Gleick, a mind-bending exploration of time travel: its subversive origins, its evolution in literature and science, and its influence on our understanding of time itself....

In this brilliant conclusion to his best-selling Mythos trilogy, legendary author and actor Stephen Fry retells the tale of the Trojan War....

From pop culture podcaster and a voice of a generation, Kate Kennedy, a celebration of the millennial zeitgeist: One In a Millennial is an exploration of pop culture, nostalgia, the millennial zeitgeist, and the life lessons learned....

Short Stories in Spanish for Beginners has been written especially for students from beginner to intermediate level, designed to give a sense of achievement, a feeling of progress and, most importantly, enjoyment....

For generations, the book of Genesis has been treated by scholars as a collection of documents by various hands, expressing different factional interests, with borrowings from other ancient literatures that mark the text as derivative....

One of William Faulkner’s finest novels, As I Lay Dying, originally published in 1930, remains a captivating and stylistically innovative work. The story revolves around a grim yet darkly humorous pilgrimage, as Addie Bundren’s family sets out to fulfill her last wish....

Five years after Return of the Jedi, the last of the Emperor's warlords have taken command of the remains of the Imperial fleet - and could destroy the fragile new Republic....

A brilliant investigation into the motivations and methods, Dumbledore dives between the lines of the Harry Potter books to create a portrait of the controversial Headmaster....

William Shakespeare, the most celebrated poet in the English language, left behind nearly a million words of text, but his biography has long been a thicket of wild supposition....

Few writers today have reshaped our view of the ancient Greek myths more than revered bestselling author Natalie Haynes. Divine Might is a female-centered look at Olympus and the Furies, focusing on the goddesses whose prowess, passions, jealousies, and desires rival those of their male kin....

Batman is one of the most compelling characters to come from the Golden Age of Comics, and interest in his story has only increased since his first appearance in 1939. Why does this superhero without superpowers fascinate us? What does that fascination say about us?

Jia Tolentino is a peerless voice of her generation, tackling the conflicts, contradictions, and sea changes that define us and our time....

For the last 20 years, George Saunders has been teaching a class on the Russian short story to his MFA students at Syracuse University. In A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, he shares a version of that class with us....

Volume 2 of the Nobel Prize-winner’s towering masterpiece: the story of Solzhenitsyn's entrance into the Soviet prison camps, where he would remain for nearly a decade. Features a new foreword by Anne Applebaum....

Published posthumously in 1964, A Moveable Feast remains one of Ernest Hemingway's most beloved works....

Highly topical, morally wise, honest to the core, Monsters is certain to incite a conversation about whether and how we can separate artists from their art....

At long last, millions of Dune fans can now hear the unpublished chapters and scenes from Dune and Dune Messiah....

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. His writings cover many subjects including physics, biology, zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, theatre, music, rhetoric, psychology, linguistics, economics, politics....

Notes of a Native Son inaugurated Baldwin as one of the leading interpreters of the dramatic social changes erupting in the United States in the 20th century, and many of his observations have proven almost prophetic....

Short Stories in French for Beginners has been written especially for students from beginner to intermediate level, designed to give a sense of achievement, a feeling of progress and most importantly - enjoyment....

From breakout stand-up comedian Iliza Shlesinger comes a subversively funny collection of essays and observations on a confident woman's approach to friendship, singlehood, and relationships....

Poet and essayist Cathy Park Hong fearlessly and provocatively blends memoir, cultural criticism, and history to expose fresh truths about racialized consciousness in America. Part memoir and part cultural criticism, this collection is vulnerable, humorous, and provocative....

Cassandra Speaks is a beautifully balanced synthesis of storytelling, memoir, and cultural observation. Women, men, and all people will find themselves in this book, and will come away strengthened, opened, and ready to work together to create a better world for all people....

Emily Dickinson and Charles Darwin were born at a time when the science of studying the natural world was known as natural philosophy, a pastime for poets, priests, and schoolgirls. The world began to change in the 1830s, while Darwin was exploring the Pacific aboard the Beagle and Dickinson was a student in Amherst, Massachusetts. Poetry and science started to grow apart, and modern thinkers challenged the old orthodoxies, offering thrilling new perspectives that suddenly felt radical—and too dangerous for women.

Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828) was a brilliant master of Japanese haiku. This instructional book offers six lessons on how to write haiku based on examples from Issa and from twenty-first century poets who are following his creative path.

Sweet, supportive, dependable, selfless. Long before she had children of her own, journalist Carrie Mullins knew how mothers should behave. But how? Where did these expectations come from—and, more importantly, are they serving the mothers whose lives they shape? Carrie's suspicion, later crystallized while raising two small children, was that our culture’s idealization of motherhood was not only painfully limiting but harmful, leaving women to cope with impossible standards—standards rarely created by mothers themselves.

In 'Disturbing Remains,' Derek, Kaili's husband, finds himself thrust into a chilling investigation when only a torso is discovered by the police. Racing against time as more gruesome body parts surface, Derek and his team delve deeper into a twisted maze of murders begging to be solved. Meanwhile, Kaili seeks solace during a sabbatical but is drawn into an unexpected adventure. Assisting her friend Dr. Doris Wolf's discovery of the Canadian Ice Maiden, Kaili utilizes her remarkable ability to communicate with mummies through a spirit box. Together, they venture to unlock the secrets of the...

Part lyric essay, part prose poetry, Where Things Touch grapples with the manifold meanings and possibilities of beauty. Drawing on her experiences as a physician-in-training, Orang considers clinical encounters and how they relate to the concept and very idea of beauty. Such considerations lead her to questions about intimacy, queerness, home, memory, love, and other aspects of human existence. Throughout, beauty is ultimately imagined as something inextricably tied to care: the care of lovers, of patients, of art and literature, and the various non-human worlds that surround us.

On her first book tour at the age of 26, Lee Maracle was asked a question from the audience, one she couldn't possibly answer at that moment. But she has been thinking about it ever since. As time has passed, she has been asked countless similar questions, all of them too big to answer, but not too large to contemplate. These questions, which touch upon subjects such as citizenship, segregation, labor, law, prejudice and reconciliation, to name a few, are the heart of My Conversations with Canadians.

Leland Ryken provides a clear pathway to understanding the "Great Works" through this engaging series of short guidebooks. Beginning with "why the classics matter" and "the nature and function of literature," listeners will find a helpful path to understanding and analyzing influential works in the Western canon. This volume leads listeners through John Bunyan’s classic Christian allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress, offering insights into the nature of faith, the reality of temptation, and the glory of salvation.

An excellent companion to the classic work The Secret Garden, this guide would be the perfect literature enrichment for homeschool, co-op, book club, or just for fans of this work and genre! Rachel Dodge, author and narrator, eloquently points out the imagery, historic context, and themes in this beautiful piece and ties them into Biblical motifs, analyzing each chapter and character through a Christian lens

Welcome to The Book of Japanese Folklore: a fascinating journey through Japan’s folklore through profiles of the legendary creatures and beings who continue to live on in pop culture today. From the sly kitsune to the orgrish oni and mischievous shape-shifting tanuki, learn all about the origins of these fantastical and mythical creatures. With information on their cultural significance, and how it’s been spun into today’s popular culture, this tome teaches you about the stories and histories of the beings that inspired characters in your favorite movies, animes, manga, and games.

Peace in the US Republic of Letters, 1840-1900 explores the early peace movement as it captured the imagination of leading writers. The book charts the rise of the peace cause from its sources in the works of William Penn and John Woolman, through the founding of the first peace societies in 1815 and the mid-century peace congresses, to the postbellum movement's consequential emphasis on arbitration.

"Flat Earth Reimagined: An AI-Curated Odyssey" is an innovative exploration of the Flat Earth theory, uniquely combined with Artificial Intelligence and the author's expert analysis. This book delves into the intriguing world of Flat Earth beliefs from ancient to modern times, presenting a balanced view of historical, scientific, and sociological perspectives. It critically examines the theory's evolution, key arguments, and the psychological appeal behind such contrarian beliefs. Enhanced by AI-driven research, this narrative offers a multifaceted look at the Flat Earth community, its ...

Dive into the enchanting world of Celtic literature with the mesmerizing eBook, "Exploring the Celtic Tapestry"! This captivating journey will take you through time and across the European landscape, unveiling the interwoven richness of Celtic storytelling and its profound impact on the global literary scene. Embark on an adventure that begins with an introduction to Celtic literature and its European contexts, then traverses through early Irish literature, the Welsh bardic tradition, Scottish poetry, and the evolution of English literary heritage in the Celtic context. Along the way, ...

Dive into an intellectually stimulating journey with "Intriguing Insights" - the ultimate guide to literary criticism and interpretation! This compendium of knowledge is designed to bridge the gap between those who appreciate literature and those who want to analyze it at a deeper level. Prepare to embark on an expedition that will inject a fresh perspective into your love for the written word. In this comprehensive volume, you'll journey through various approaches to literary theory, delving into the captivating world of Structuralism, Post-Structuralism, Hermeneutics, Reader-Response ...

Are you ready to dive into the captivating world of Asian Indic Literary Criticism? Look no further! Introducing "The Complexities of Asian Indic Literary Criticism" - a must-read for anyone intrigued by the literary heritage of Asia. This all-encompassing eBook explores the richness and diversity of Asian Indic Literature, offering readers an unparalleled voyage through time and the timeless beauty of its literary traditions. Embark on a fascinating journey that begins with the ancient foundations of the world-renowned Natyashastra, the bedrock of Sanskrit Poetics, and traces the evolution...

Discover the fascinating world of visual storytelling! Unveil the secrets behind the most powerful and captivating form of storytelling through the magnificent art of comics and graphic novels. Introducing "Visual Storytelling," a groundbreaking eBook that will lead you on a journey through the enthralling universe of comics and graphic novels. Immerse yourself in the evolution, history, and techniques that have shaped the iconic art of visual storytelling, and learn how this medium has journeyed from the static images of early comic strips to the dynamic and powerful narratives we know and...