Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Pages: 188
Trim: 6 x 9
978-1-4758-3825-1 • Paperback • August 2017 • $34.00 • (£25.00)
978-1-4758-3826-8 • eBook • August 2017 • $32.00 • (£25.00)
Carolyn M. Johnson is author of reference and text books including Discovering Nature with Young People, Using Internet Sources to Teach Critical Thinking Skills in the Sciences, plus magazine articles and poems. She has MLS (Library and Information Science) and MA (English and American Literature) degrees from St. John’s University, Queens, NY, a BA (English Literature) from Hunter College, NYC, AA (Liberal Arts) from Queensborough Community College, Queens, NY; worked as graduate student assistant in LIS Division at St. John’s University, library assistant at QCC library, and librarian at NY Botanical Garden Library and Pace University Library.
Dedication
Preface
Introduction
Section 1: Anglo Saxon Literature
Chapter 1: Metrical Charms and Runic Poems
Chapter 2: Old English and Early Middle English Verse
Chapter 3: Colloquy
Chapter 4: A Letter on the Advancement of Learning
Chapter 5: Riddles from The Exeter Book (970-1042) by Anonymous
Chapter 6:Selections from The Exeter Book
Section 2: Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Centuries – Poetry
Chapter 7: Selections from The Canterbury Tales
Chapter 8: Selections from The Fairie Queene
Section 3: Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries – Drama
Chapter 9: Selections from Shakespeare’s Plays – The Comedies
Chapter 10: Selections from Shakespeare’s Plays – The Histories
Chapter 11: Selections from Shakespeare’s Plays – The Tragedies
Section 4: Seventeenth Century – Poetry
Chapter 12: Excerpts from The Passionate Pilgrim, Sonnets To Sundry Notes Of Music, The Phoenix and The Turtle [Dove]
Chapter 13: Sonnets plus Dramatic Poetry by William Shakespeare
Chapter 14: Various Writings by John Donne
Chapter 15: Poetry by John Donne
Section 5: Seventeenth Century – ProseChapter 16: No Man is An Island, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and other writings
Chapter 17: Juvenilia, or Certaine Paradoxes and Problemes by John Donne
Section 6: Eighteenth Century – Miscellaneous
Chapter 18: A Preface To A Dictionary of The English Language, The Rambler, Idler, and Adventurer Essays
Conclusion
About the Author
APPENDIX 1: A link to the online appendix
APPENDIX 2 Online – RECOMMENDED RESEARCH RESOURCES
In a day when ‘study’ is often reduced to browsing a few general websites and calling it done, it is good to find such a thorough yet usable introduction to English literature. Teachers will find much with which to stimulate student interest, and students will be introduced to the wealth of written material residing in books on library shelves. Modern writing (think J. K. Rowling) builds upon older writings (Jane Austen et al) and students, particularly aspiring authors, will do well to ponder the broad range of resources residing on paper in libraries. This series provides 'tastes' of many different types of literature and students' interest will be stimulated through questions requiring critical thinking.
— Joseph Andrew Meboe, former continuing education technology instructor, Bellevue College, the University of Washington, and Kauai Community College
This book gives students many insights to detailed informational sites and original documents in e-texts. It will help them search the internet for needed matter for their work. This book takes students through the history of literature from the writings of ancient Chaucer and Shakespeare and many others who are familiar, and some who are not well-known. The information in this book is very important for spurring students’ thinking to a high level of accomplishment. Some of the many interesting questions even point to how writings from the past are relevant to today; showing, for example, John Donne’s words quoted in a classic Twilight Zone television episode. This will encourage students to want to delve further into seeking more information by going to the various Web sites which will give them more familiarity with many authors and what they have written. They will also guide them to unexpected discoveries.
— Janet L. Cook, newspaper columnist, Boonville NY Herald and Lowville NY Journal & Republican; editor and contributor, Tug Hill Quilters of NY newsletter
Johnson presents her goal well; introducing English literature to high school and first-year college and university students through a variety of literary works known and not known from the past and present, through excerpts from digital reproductions of literary documents. A valuable feature in each chapter is the intriguing questions helping students think about what's in what they're reading.
— James Floyd, reference librarian, Grinton I. Will Library, Yonkers, New York