A Little History of Literature

By: John Sutherland

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Paperback | 8 April 2025 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
288 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
19.68 x 12.7 x 2.54

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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

About the Author

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.’

Industry Reviews

"Written in prose that is clear and free from the diktat of theory and criticism, A Little History of Literature is an enjoyable account of a lifelong involvement with literature."—John Vukmirovich, Times Literary Supplement

"As a guidebook, it's a cracker. What Sutherland has to offer is formidable breadth of reading, a generous spirit and a rebounding enthusiasm for his subject."—Sam Leith, Spectator

"A Little History of Literature, which begins with Beowulf and ends with bestsellers, is primarily a guide for teenagers, and John Sutherland brings to the vast and unruly subject some order, clarity and commonsense."—Frances Wilson, New Statesman

"I suspect that an expert like John Sutherland could have written this highly entertaining and informative history without recourse to any research at all, having it pretty much at his fingertips; and it reads extremely well, as though he is simply having a chat with us about literature and why it matters."—Lesley McDowell, Independent on Sunday

"John Sutherland is among the handful of critics whose every book I must have. He's sharp-eyed and sharp-tongued, with a generous heart and a wise head."—Jay Parini

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