Used in colleges and college-prep courses in the US, AS/A2 prep in the UK, and by interested readers and writers everywhere. Authoritative, genuinely helpful, and just funny enough. You'll see.

Literary interpretation can be a complex topic. This lively and entertaining guide takes the intimidation out of it, offering readers a scholarly yet easy-to-follow examination of literary theory's central arguments, key figures, and fascinating history. From Plato to ecocriticism, this helpful guide gives you everything you need to know to really understand literature--plus hundreds of references to novels, stories, poems, plays, and more.