Instant English Literature

by Rosemary Gelshenen

Filled with fascinating information, this brief and entertaining survey features some of the major literary masterpieces of nineteenth-century England. If you ever wanted to know which Thomas Hardy novel to read first, or just wanted to hold your own at a cocktail party of English professors, this book is for you. In addition to telling you why Reverend Patrick Bronte burned his children's new red shoes, and whether George Eliot was a man or woman...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0449906965
• ISBN13: 9780449906965
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A Good Review for the GRE Literature in English Test.

Although this book has some summaries of nineteenth century authors, I would not call it a survey. If anything, it is a paraphrase of what you should have remembered from a survey class on the major novelists in English of the nineteenth century.Is this a helpful book? Many of the authors I read while in college and some afterwards. In preparing for the Literature in English test, I realized that I didn't remember as much as I would have liked. This book gives you a brief summary of the author's life, a list (with dates) of the major works, and a summary of the most important works. The author, Rosemary Gelshenen, also gives a brief explanation of why the particular author is remembered. She covers, the Brontes, Mary Shelley, Austen, Dickens, Thackeray, Trollope, Eliot, Kipling, Stevenson, Hardy, James, and Conrad.Reading this is by no means a substitute for the books, but it is a quick, and humorous, read which will enable you to feel a bit better about your grasp of the nineteenth century novelists and some of their contemporaries.I would recommend this book for a quick study of this time period.

EXPLORING LITERATURES' BEST

Have you ever had the urge to spend time reading the best of nineteenth century english literature but were intimidated by its great authors? Don't feel intimidated any more. You will enjoy this excellent survey of the classic authors of the nineteenth century. Instant English Literature: The Nineteenth Century takes away the pain of reading those great works forced upon you in high school english classes. This entertaining survey provides you with juicy tid-bits about the life of the authors, gives a summary of their major works and puts in perspective the context of the novel. You will find out why readers flocked to read Jane Eyre. See why Dickens' fans demanded more of his installments. Find out how each author contributed to the development of what we now know as the modern day novel. Prior to reading this book I avoided the Brontes, Austen, Trollope, Elliot and Kipling like a plague. Once I read the surveys I couldn't wait to tackle these greats that I had missed in high school. Pride and Prejudice where have you been? By all means pick up this enjoyable text which will give you an appreciation for nineteenth century literature and a craving to read some of the best authors of the time.

FUN READ! OTHERWISE STUFFY STUFF COMES ALIVE.

THIS MAY BE HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT IN THIS BOOK, A SYNOPOSIS OF 19TH CENT. ENG. LIT C.OMES ALIVE WITH A MUCH NEEDED INJECTION OF CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCY MINUS THE POMP AND DULL CIRCUMSTANCE IN WHICH ENG. LIT IS USUALLY TREATED