In 25 witty and vibrant biographical essays, Firebrands introduces us to a selection of brilliant and complex women writers about whom every discerning reader should know.

WINNER OF THE PEN AWARD FOR POETRY IN TRANSLATIONPearl is an entrancing allegorical tale of grief and lost love, as the narrator is led on a Dantean journey through sorrow to redemption by his vanished beloved.

Examines how readers interact with literary works, how they understand and are moved by them. Mick Short considers how meanings and effects are generated in the three major literary genres, carrying out stylistic analysis of poetry, drama and prose fiction in turn. He analyses a wide range of extracts from English literature.

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • An insightful look into the mind of a master storyteller—and a unique look at the craft of writing from the beloved and best-selling author of 1Q84, Norwegian Wood, and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.

"Murakami is like a magician who explains what he's doing as he performs the trick and still makes you believe he has supernatural powers" —New York Times Book Review

Aspiring writers and readers who have long wondered where the mysterious novelist...

All too often, attention is paid only to those children's novels that were written in English, with non-English-language works being passed over and neglected. Beyond Babar: The European Tradition in Children's Literature examines eleven of the most celebrated European children's novels in substantial, critical essays written by well-known international scholars. This approach provides a comprehensive discussion of the selected works from a variety of theoretical perspectives.

Each essay offe...

Spanning almost seven centuries, this anthology encapsulates the foundation and consolidation of literature written in English, culminating in some of the finest works produced in English in the high Middle Ages. New edition of this widely-used anthology of Old and Middle English literatureNow extended to include newly-edited versions of Old English Wonders of the East, of Poema Morale, extracts from Julian of Norwich and Margery KempeFull translations are offered for the Old and earlier Midd...

In this inspiring love letter to reading and the life-changing power of literature, 35 writers share their all-time favourite books

What if we've been reading Jane Austen and romantic classics all wrong? A funny, brainy, eye-opening take on how our contemporary love stories are actually pretty terrifying.