Little History of Literature

A vibrant guide to the world of literature, from dramatic plays to engrossing novels   Literature has inspired every civilisation, from Greek myth to today’s graphic novels. John Sutherland, who has researched, taught and written on the entire glorious span of human literary activity, here guides readers on a journey ‘through the looking glass’ to show how literature from across the world can transport us, transfix us, and teach us about ourselves.   He introduces key works, from the Epic of Gilgamesh and Shakespeare to T.S. Eliot, George Orwell and Margaret Atwood, and looks afresh at literature’s links to power, identity and taste. From the rude jokes within Anglo-Saxon riddles to the guilty pleasures of potboilers and fan fiction, this celebratory guide offers wit, humour and deep learning to all who enjoy literature, and who want to understand it anew.  Little Histories – Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds

John Sutherland is Emeritus Lord North Professor of Modern English Literature, University College London. He has taught students at every level and is the author or editor of more than forty books including How to Read a Novel and How to be Well Read. The Lives of the Novelists, published by Yale in 2013, was described by one reviewer as ‘a reference book that rocks.’