Rating: 
Summary: Addictive!
Review: Great addictive literary dictionary. A must buy for anybody who loves books. My only complaint is that it should have more examples of literature from outside the United States, Britain and France.
Rating: 
Summary: ENGLISH MAJORS . . . BUY THIS NOW!
Review: If you are an English major (as I am) then this is the positively best dictionary you can buy for literary terms and theory. Although it is not regarded as the "most authoritative" source around (that distinction probably goes to MH Abrhams' "Glossary of Literary Terms"), this book is thorough and enlightening. Plus, it's published by Penguin, which means it is basically approved and endorsed by Oxford. This book is by far the most comprehensive of its kind. Buy it, or be sorry you didn't!
Rating:
Summary: ENGLISH MAJORS . . . BUY THIS NOW!
Review: If you are an English major (as I am) then this is the positively best dictionary you can buy for literary terms and theory. Although it is not regarded as the "most authoritative" source around (that distinction probably goes to MH Abrhams' "Glossary of Literary Terms"), this book is thorough and enlightening. Plus, it's published by Penguin, which means it is basically approved and endorsed by Oxford. This book is by far the most comprehensive of its kind. Buy it, or be sorry you didn't!
Rating: 
Summary: Blackwell Publishers
Review: The fourth edition of J.A. Cuddon's classic dictionary has been thoroughly revised and updated to maintain it as the most comprehensive and accessible work of its kind currently available, for students, teachers and general readers alike. Expanded to include many new entries, it has been improved throughout, in places rendered more concise, in others amended and extended, with both major and minor additions. The work of the third edition, to cover the schools and various terminologies of literary theory is continued, without compromising coverage afforded to more traditional critical terms and topics.
Rating:
Summary: This dictionary is the best of its kind I have seen so far
Review: The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory is any dilettante's dream come true! It's like they all say - comprehensive to all, cohesive, with easy reference, useful links and the like, but it's also tremendously interesting; J.A. Cuddon allows his opinion to filter across, not infrequently, to the reader, and his incisive views, usually penned with a hint of irony or so, make for engaging reading - it gets addictive, in fact. More than the indifferent exposition that the word dictionary implies, it is at once sardonic, humorous and factual, and is saturated with references to almost any work of literature possible to recall to mind: from the Chronohontonthologos (did I spell it right?) to The Scarlet Pimpernel; from Virgil to Byron and Lucan to Moliere. It's one of the few books in the world, I imagine, which it would be possible to read over and over again without managing NOT to find something (an observation, a summary, etc.) new and surprising each time.
Rating:
Summary: As fascinating as literature itself.
Review: This addictive dictionary can be (and frequently is, I believe) read from cover to cover. Hundreds of fascinating poetic forms, genres and movements are covered, the definitions are informative and often ironically detached (note the studiedly lapidary comments on Welsh poetry), virtually all major European literatures are taken into account, plus there are comments on Slavonic folklore, Korean poetry, Welsh prosody, and ancient Greek literary theory.The wiring and plumbing of the book, its cross-referencing system, is admirably done and very helpful, luring the reader into a rollercoaster ride across centuries. Another notable quality is the rich number of examples, especially of the titles of a legion of important / interesting / fascinating / demented literary works often buried in the sands of time. Unfortunately, however, many metric and strophic forms must go without illustration for reasons of space: a fact deplored by Cuddon himself in the preface. But this does not detract from the book's worth: its logical structure and lucid explanations, combined with its author's awesome erudition, make this a priceless reference work.
Rating:
Summary: A Must For All English Literature Students
Review: This book is strongly recommended for all undergraduate students of Literature. You can check out unfamiliar literary terms in this book and all explanations are thorough and easy to follow. Clear examples of how literary terms are used can be found throughout the book. Get one now if you have not done so!
Rating:
Summary: A must-have for students and teachers of literature
Review: This comprehensive dictionary of literary terms covers much, much more than any other book I've found. It concisely defines literary periods, critical schools, artistic movements, techniques, genres, structural elements, and the derivations of each. No term is too obscure for this volume. Want to know what a rime équivoquée is? Forget what is meant by post-modernism? What was the Florida Street group and with whom did the members identify? Need classic examples of a parody? How does the word "forensics" apply to poetry? You'll find it all in this book of nearly 1000 pages. This is a highly valuable book for anyone deeply interested in literature and its expressions.
Rating:
Summary: A must-have for students and teachers of literature
Review: This comprehensive dictionary of literary terms covers much, much more than any other book I've found. It concisely defines literary periods, critical schools, artistic movements, techniques, genres, structural elements, and the derivations of each. No term is too obscure for this volume. Want to know what a rime équivoquée is? Forget what is meant by post-modernism? What was the Florida Street group and with whom did the members identify? Need classic examples of a parody? How does the word "forensics" apply to poetry? You'll find it all in this book of nearly 1000 pages. This is a highly valuable book for anyone deeply interested in literature and its expressions.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive and Cheap
Review: This dictionary is a very good reference tool for almost every literary concept and movement imaginable. Topics such as 'deconstruction', 'satire' and 'irony' all receive several pages in this text. The sheer amount of information in this dictionary is mind-boggling. I recommend this book for those who need a concise, to-the-point definition and exploration of literary movements, literary jargon, and about specific genres.
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