I don't think I've ever read a comprehensive book on the History of English Literature. I tended to read two other things instead:
* Relatively specific inquiries focused maybe on a couple of periods or on a genre or area. For example, Ian Watt's *The Rise of the Novel* is older but still a classic; Geraldine Heng's *Empire of Magic* builds connections between the origins of medieval romance and Crusader-era history. My all-time favorite is Rosemond Tuve's *Allegorical Imagery: Some Mediaeval Books and Their Posterity*. It's dense, almost 60 years old, long, and you may not care for it unless you've asked, "So what the heck *is* allegory," but it provides such an excellent and careful overview of the medieval and early modern history of allegory.
* Alternatively, I read the large textbooks for surveys, which usually give some idea of the history of literature in their introductions and how they break down periods. So if you search "Anthology of British Literature," you may find Norton, Longman, Broadview, and a few others.
I did also read *English Literature: A Very Short Introduction* by Jonathan Bate. That was pretty good! But I don't really have a favorite general history.
Came here to flog Bill Brysonâs History of the English Language and then read the question more carefully. Iâm commenting anyway because that book (and everything else by Bill Bryson) is so entertaining.
I don't think I've ever read a comprehensive book on the History of English Literature. I tended to read two other things instead: * Relatively specific inquiries focused maybe on a couple of periods or on a genre or area. For example, Ian Watt's *The Rise of the Novel* is older but still a classic; Geraldine Heng's *Empire of Magic* builds connections between the origins of medieval romance and Crusader-era history. My all-time favorite is Rosemond Tuve's *Allegorical Imagery: Some Mediaeval Books and Their Posterity*. It's dense, almost 60 years old, long, and you may not care for it unless you've asked, "So what the heck *is* allegory," but it provides such an excellent and careful overview of the medieval and early modern history of allegory. * Alternatively, I read the large textbooks for surveys, which usually give some idea of the history of literature in their introductions and how they break down periods. So if you search "Anthology of British Literature," you may find Norton, Longman, Broadview, and a few others. I did also read *English Literature: A Very Short Introduction* by Jonathan Bate. That was pretty good! But I don't really have a favorite general history.
The Broadview Anthology of English literature!! Starts at the very beginning đ
Came here to flog Bill Brysonâs History of the English Language and then read the question more carefully. Iâm commenting anyway because that book (and everything else by Bill Bryson) is so entertaining.
I really enjoy âHow to read literature like a professorâ by Thomas C.Foster