The Western Lit Survival Kit

How to Read the Classics Without Fear

Sandra Newman

$27.99

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Penguin
23 April 2012

Literature, Poetry & Criticism; Literary companions

An intelligent, witty and practical guide to the great works of Western literature

There they sit, the great tomes of classical literature, taunting you with their length and difficulty, as you ask- which books are the most important and why - and what's actually any good? Why does most writing about the classics have words like 'seminal' or 'oeuvre' in it? What does postmodernism mean? Can I get away with just reading the introduction?

Now you can enjoy the classics without fear. This survival kit will guide you painlessly through the Western literary canon, century by century- from Ancient Greek drama to the modern novel, via Beowulf, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Romantic poetry, Tolstoy and Proust. There are entertaining plot summaries, unpretentious definitions of literary movements and fresh insights into authors' lives. With each work assigned ratings from 1 to 10 on Importance, Accessibility and Fun, you'll discover what's really worth bothering with and what you can safely discard without guilt.

This book will make the things you've read clearer, inspire you to tackle the ones you've always meant to and make you sound far cleverer than you really are.

By: Sandra Newman
Imprint: Penguin
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 198mm, Width: 129mm, Spine: 18mm
Weight: 236g
ISBN: 9780141044521
ISBN 10: 0141044527
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 23 April 2012
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Sandra Newman is the author of Cake and The Only Good Thing Anyone Has Ever Done, and a memoir, Changeling. She is co-author of the bestselling How Not to Write a Novel and Read This Next. Newman lives in Brooklyn.

Reviews for The Western Lit Survival Kit: How to Read the Classics Without Fear

Heavens, what a joy this book is... It is extremely funny -- Lynne Truss [praise For How Not To Write A Novel] Pick up this clever (and useful) guide -- [praise For Read This Next] Chicago Tribune