This text defines and discusses terms, critical theories, and points of view that are commonly used to classify, analyse, interpret, and write the history of works of literature. The Glossary presents a series of essays in alphabetic order.

The much-anticipated second edition of The Book of Literary Terms features new examples and terms to enhance Turco’s classic guide that students and scholars have relied on over the years as a definitive resource for the definitions of the major terms, forms, and styles of literature. Chapters covering fiction, drama, nonfiction, and literary criticism and scholarship offer readers a comprehensive guide to all forms of prose and their many sub-genres. From “Utopian novel,” “videotape,” and “yellow journalism” to “kabuki play,” “Personalism,” and “Poststructuralism,” this book is a valuable reference offering an extensive world of knowledge. Every teacher, student, critic, and general lover of literature should be sure to add The Book of Literary Terms to their library.

Explains and gives examples of over 900 literary terms.

From the author team of the discipline's most widely used literature anthology, this accessible and instructive guide introduces students to the language of literary study. Featuring an engaging and accessible writing style, this supplemental reference manual for the introductory student has over 400 entries and serves to demystify literature and the terms, techniques, and analysis tools that literary scholars use. NEW TO THIS EDITION: Over 25 additional entries, covering more contemporary terms (blogging, etc). Selected illustrations throughout.

Essential Literary Terms offers clear, concise definitions over 220 must-know literary terms for introductory students.

A New Handbook of Literary Terms offers a lively, informative guide to words and concepts that every student of literature needs to know. Mikics’s definitions are essayistic, witty, learned, and always a pleasure to read. They sketch the derivation and history of each term, including especially lucid explanations of verse forms and providing a firm sense of literary periods and movements from classicism to postmodernism. The Handbook also supplies a helpful map to the intricate and at times confusing terrain of literary theory at the beginning of the twenty-first century: the author has designated a series of terms, from New Criticism to queer theory, that serves as a concise but thorough introduction to recent developments in literary study. Mikics’s Handbook is ideal for classroom use at all levels, from freshman to graduate. Instructors can assign individual entries, many of which are well-shaped essays in their own right. Useful bibliographical suggestions are given at the end of most entries. The Handbook’s enjoyable style and thoughtful perspective will encourage students to browse and learn more. Every reader of literature will want to own this compact, delightfully written guide.