This lavishly illustrated volume explores the richness, diversity, and continuity of Britain´s literary heritage. Under the general editorship of Pat Rogers, some of Britain´s foremost literary scholars trace the history of English literature from its first stirrings in Anglo-Saxon poetry to the present day. More than a mere chronology, this versatile work provides a basic core of information and invaluable supplementary material, including suggestions for further reading, maps, a chronological table of dates, and a detailed index with birth and death dates of individuals listed. It also moves beyond these facts and events to characterize the broad sweep of ideas and the main concerns of British writers over the past thirteen centuries. The illustrations chosen--thirty-five in color and over two hundred in black and white--bring to life the content and concerns of the text.
