A Little History of Literature - Little Histories (Hardback)

"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 -- Sam Leith Spectator '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 -- John Vukmirovich Times Literary Supplement '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 -- 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 -- Lesley McDowell Independent on Sunday Praise for John Sutherland: '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 -- Jay Parini "This slim book makes for a necessarily cursory review of literature's greats - and the loving treatment by an expert ... will please both novices and established readers looking to dip back into well-loved works."-Shelf Awareness Shelf Awareness "A genial, enthusiastic guide leads a jaunt through literary history... [Sutherland's] aim is not to draw a line between high art and low, but to share his prodigious joy of reading."-Kirkus Reviews Kirkus Reviews