A Glossary of Literary Terms by Geoffrey Galt Abrams, M. H.;Harpham


A Glossary of Literary Terms
Title : A Glossary of Literary Terms
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 1413004563
ISBN-10 : 9781413004564
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 320
Publication : First published January 1, 1957

First published in 1957, "A Glossary of Literary Terms" contains succinct essays on the terms used in discussing literature, literary history, and literary criticism. This text is an indispensable reference for students.


A Glossary of Literary Terms Reviews


  • Nikoleta

    Εξαιρετικό. Έχει τους λογοτεχνικούς όρους σε αλφαβητική σειρά, και δεν εξηγεί απλώς τον κάθε έναν από αυτούς, αλλά παρουσιάζει την γέννηση του κάθε όρου στην ιστορική του εποχή, την εξέλιξη ή μεταβολή του στο πέρασμα του χρόνου (όταν αυτή υπάρχει) και αναλύει την σημασία του με παραδείγματα. Έμαθα χωρίς να δυσκολευτώ, και χωρίς να χάσω στιγμή το ενδιαφέρον μου, αντιθέτως αυτό μεγάλωνε με την κάθε σελίδα.

  • Traveller

    I had to buy this book for some class many many moons ago, and I thought it would be old hat by now, what with it sitting gathering dust on the shelf over the years.

    Surprisingly, though, after thinking I was just going to refresh my memory on little morsels like adynaton, hypozeugma, and all the many convoluted methods of scansion, I actually ended up spending more time with it than I had intended, led on by its interesting background commentary.

    What makes it nice, is that it is more than just a dictionary of literary terms - it's actually quite interesting to read in addition, like a mini-mini encyclopedia.

    Perhaps it deserves to be properly dusted off and to join the books on my right-hand side.

  • Lit Bug

    One of the best books available for a swift but meaningful study of every new term you can find in the academic study of English literature. Brief, to-the-point, clear and intelligible - it is a rich book for everyone seeking to systematically understand English literature.

  • Nidhi Singh

    Due to lack of time I had decided to do a selective study, but Abrams lured me into reading the whole of it.

  • Pooja Lakhera

    A good reference book for literature students!
    Highly recommended!

  • Sadia Mansoor

    A useful & handy guide for every lit student ^_^


    http://www.ohio.edu/people/hartleyg/r...

  • Reza Qalandari

    چیزهای زیادی یاد گرفتم، اما خوشحالم که مجبور نیستم دوباره بخونم‌شون. ترجیح می‌دم دم دستم باشه که هرموقع نیاز شد بهش رجوع کنم فقط.

  • Yuks

    I've read this book five times and still failed the class

  • Ava

    I know this book is well-known and I know how many people praise this book. But after referring to several Glossaries of Literary Terms, I realized that such kinds of books still have a long way to go. That is because none of them provide enough information on certain subjects and some of them do not have all the terms I needed to know about. Based on what I have learned, simplicity is the key to writing books and teaching. A technical book is supposed to be as simple and comprehensive as possible. Unfortunately, as detailed as it was, this book lacked simplicity. It is somehow hard and complicated for a beginner in Literature studies to process all the new information in just a few hours. I personally prefer Yale's Handbook of Literary Terms and The Anthem Dictionary of Literary Terms and Theory even though they may not be as complete.

    I should also point out that referring to only one of these books during the process of study does not suffice.

  • David

    The "read" status I've given this book is purely for convenience: it is one that anyone who enjoys the nuts and bolts of literature as much as the actual product should always have on hand, whether to help answer a specific question, satisfy a vague curiosity, or use lucky dip style to discover something new about literature, and, by extension, the world.

    This book represents a body of knowledge approached and collated by the same scholar, making for a compact, easily accessible, and, best of all, integrated, resource - and in that respect is better than trying to pick through the internet for the same definitions.

    If you want quick but accurate descriptions of literary terms, nevertheless with some depth, and pointers on where else to go, this volume, while certainly not cheap, is definitely worth it.

  • Roya

    I can't believe I'm actually done with this monster of a book. Didn't exactly love it, but learned from it so much, so incredibly much. I don't currently feel like discussing it or whatever; when you finish reading something like this, all you feel like doing is DANCING. So that's what I'm gonna do.

  • Danielle

    I suppose it's useful, but really, the words here could be found in a dictionary, so its useless at the same time. Conveniently useless.

  • Ruby

    Over-elaborate where it should be more concise, too concise where more explanation would be appreciated.

  • Trishwah

    This was a pre-Internet essential.

  • Amy

    I can't live without this reference.

  • Hosein

    This book has gathered literary terms of English language in one place successfully. Those students who wants to give English literature exam should get prepared with the help of this book. I can't say this is great since this was the only reference I had in my hand recommended by my fellow friend who had got his Master degree the mentioned field.

  • Jennice

    I would recommend this book to all hose who want to pursue a career in literature or those who simply want to understand a literature in brief. M. H. Abrams explains every point and term in brief and to the point, making it easy for beginners to memories those heavily typical words.

  • Carrie

    I have the [1999] 7th Edition. Can anyone tell me what terms may have been added in the newest edition? For example “magical realism” is not listed. I would like to make a note to add in sections myself.

    Thank you!

  • Caitlin Hagar

    Really helpful for understanding literary devices

  • Shreya Pandey

    A must read for any student of literature. I wish I'd listened to my professor who told me in my first semester as an English grad to buy a copy of this book. It's an essential read.

  • Chahna

    So far the best reference book for literary terms I have come across.

  • Aradhana Yadav

    This is a must have for every literature student.

  • Aradhana Yadav

    A must have book for every literature student. Brief and to the point description of literary terms.

  • Nafisa Awal

    পেঙ্গুইনের থেকে অনেক ভালো। অনেক গুছানো এবং অনেক সাহায্য করে।

  • Soeti

    Contains a lot of theories and terms, and totally helps me understand in methodology of literary studies class!

  • Monica

    This book would be the very best choice if anyone intends to get the cocktail knowledge in literature. Term after term, you would get dazzled in this pool——or the sea——of signifiers. And then being furnished with those techniqucal terms, your talk would shine with a gloss of wisdom (or wit?). Well, it is exactly the very charm of this glossary.
      
    Tracing the terms one from another, a chain, a circle, or even a net of signifers would come out with malicious sense of guile. You sit down, and read the term, let's say,"Victorian Novel". Then you would inevitably jump to the next "Realism", then "Naturalism", and "conventions", "structuralism", "post-structuralism"...After following all those "isms", the reader would suddently find him or her had been trapped, whirling in a playful abysm.

  • 林

    Very, very useful as a glossary of literary terms, as the book is named. The next time I read this, it shall be for the purpose of looking up a term or reference, as a dictionary ought to be used. I regard this as a treasure chest of interesting trivia and other information. Each term is very neatly discussed, explained and elaborated. But perhaps I ought to admit: I have skimmed through many pages, especially towards the end of the book - mainly, I'm not that interested in the subject matter, and at present all this information really isn't of much use to me since I don't academically study Literature anymore.

  • Nima

    This glossary is the most referred book I guess in history for English students around the world among the other book(Norton anthology of this writer)you might wonder why I'm saying this?O..there's nothing in the world which can not be find in this book!

    Simply if you're an English student or even a Literature student to be precise, hold this book!It's gonna be your closest friend on earth after your pet :-)

    As I mentioned above this is a reference book mainly because it's functionality is as same as all other dictionaries you can find all over the world but this one is like a technical dictionary for whom?Yeah..for English[Read it "Literature"] students !

    Good luck