Rating: 
Summary: A hefty overview
Review: Merriam Webster's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LITERATURE is a 1200 page overview of literature, with entries documenting important written materials from antiquity to contemporary times. Arranged alphabetically, this volume is easy to use. Readers can look up authors, individual works, literary devices and forms, and schools of thought - the important ones are all there. Because so much is included, the entries themselves are short, usually one or two paragraphs. This volume is wonderful if you want to remind yourself of an author's major works or what the definition of a sonnet is. You can use the thumbnail entries as starting points for additional research, or as a quick way to check dates and titles.As an overview of literature throughout the ages, this encyclopedia is well worth owning. If you want more in-depth analysis, I suggest looking for books particular to your topic of interest.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Affordable Literature Reference
Review: One of the more affordable literature encyclopedias on the market, this tome is not 100 percent exhaustive, but it will have all the major authors, literary terms, and critical approaches. I have found it an invaluable reference as a student of English literature, and I reccomend it for any graduate or undergraduate student.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Affordable Literature Reference
Review: One of the more affordable literature encyclopedias on the market, this tome is not 100 percent exhaustive, but it will have all the major authors, literary terms, and critical approaches. I have found it an invaluable reference as a student of English literature, and I reccomend it for any graduate or undergraduate student.
Rating: 
Summary: Good to a point
Review: Sadly missing are many important books, one of which is History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours. Don't expect to reply on this book to provide everything you need to know about the history of literature.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable reference
Review: Since this is a reference I haven't read the whole thing. I was very pleased recently when I looked up Commedia dell'Arte. There were several complete descriptions of the characters and history. I have been looking for many years for just this much information about the subject. Also, I have many interesting side trips when I use this book. It's great!
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable reference
Review: Since this is a reference I haven't read the whole thing. I was very pleased recently when I looked up Commedia dell'Arte. There were several complete descriptions of the characters and history. I have been looking for many years for just this much information about the subject. Also, I have many interesting side trips when I use this book. It's great!
Rating:
Summary: I Use My Copy Frequently - A Valuable Resource
Review: The Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature professes to be a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the world of literature - authors, works, terms, and topics - from all eras and all parts of the world. In my view this joint effort of Merriam Webster and Encyclopedia of Britannica is exactly what it claims to be. I have used this valuable resource for several years and I highly recommend it. This is a rather heavy, thick book and not suitable for a carrying in a backpack. I keep my copy readily accessible in my favorite reading area. Whenever I look up a topic, I pencil-in a small check mark. My little check marks are now scattered throughout this reference book. The short descriptive passages, generally around 100 to 500 words, are well written and often sufficiently intriguing that I find myself moving from one related topic to another. This compilation is ideal for students and teachers, but I recommend this single volume encyclopedia for anyone that enjoys literature. The references include literary works, classic authors, contemporary authors, mythology and folklore, literary terms, literary styles, historical literary movements, scholars and critics, and literary awards and prizes. I rarely fail to find whatever I am looking for. I would be quite surprised if this compilation did not meet your needs. I also have a copy of another good reference work, Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia, possibly the best-known literary encyclopedia. Benet's compilation overlaps considerably with the Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature, but the two are not identical. Benet's reference work contains less literary references, most notably fewer literary terms and definitions. Benet's is less likely than Merriam-Webster to have a short essay on a specific literary work or poem. For example, Benet's does not have an entry for The Name of the Rose, I Sing the Body Electric, Love in the Time of Cholera, For the Union Dead, or many other titles found in Merriam Webster. However, Benet's compilation is wider in scope, having many historical definitions (e.g., Napoleon Bonaparte, Congress of Vienna, Vietnam War, Vikings), more religious terms (e.g., trimurti - Hindu and tripitaka - Buddhist), and more art and music references (e.g., Grandma Moses, Picasso, and Mozart). I give 5 stars to Merriam Webster and 4 stars to Benet.
Rating:
Summary: A must-have for all lovers of literature
Review: This is an informative and interesting volume, equally valuable for research or just simply browsing. The entries are fairly brief, but serve as a good springboard for further investigation if one so desires. The important authors, works, and literary terms are all here. Truly a useful reference tool.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Reference
Review: You will not find, regardless of what others may say, a more complete literature encyclopedia on the market. While shopping for one a few years back I did a comparison between M-W's Encyclopedia of Literature and Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia. M-W's had far more entries and far better descriptions and definitions. I credit this book with helping me do well on the GRE Literature exam since I pulled much of my study material from it. This is a must have for all students and teachers of literature.
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