criticism and interpretation

Contains analytical and interpretive commentary on the plays and major characters of American playwright Edward Albee, and includes a chronology of his life, discussion of Albee's view of playwriting, suggestions for further study, and a bibliography.

"Albert Camus is one of the . . . philosophers of the twentieth century, as well as a . . . novelist. Active in the first half of the twentieth century, his views contributed to the rise of the philosophy known as absurdism, and his works have inspired numerous movies, and even pop songs, and are frequently referenced in contemporary politics. In this [book, the author] explores the life and work of a man full of contradictions, who occupied an ambiguous position in troubled and conflicted times. A fearless journalist who tirelessly investigated the terrible conditions of people in French-occupied Algeria in the 1930s, Camus also stated that the only salvation for France was to remain an 'Arab Power'. While he published articles during the German Occupation in a clandestine resistance newspaper, Camus also withdrew a chapter on Kafka to ensure that his philosophical treatise would pass the Nazi-controlled censorship. Over the course of his life he ranged from being strongly in favor of the death penalty to deploring it in his philosophy. Following a broad chronological framework, [the author] explores the major philosophical and literary works of Camus in the historical context in which they were written and published, and analyzes how the reception and popularity of these works are connected with contemporary political, social and cultural issues, shaping the ideological landscape that surrounds us"--Provided by publisher.

"Published in 1940, Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls is widely considered a masterpiece of war literature. A bestseller upon its release, the novel has long been both admired and ridiculed for its depiction of Robert Jordan's military heroism and wartime romance. Yet its validation of seemingly conflicting narratives and its rendering of the intricate world its characters inhabit, as well as its dense historical, literary, and biographical allusions, have made it a work that remains a focus of interest and study. Alex Vernon mines the historical record, examining Hemingway's drafts and correspondence, synthesizing the body of literary criticism about the novel, and engaging in close textual analysis. As a result, new and important insights into the complex situation of the Spanish Civil War-integral to the novel-emerge, enriching our understanding of the novel and reminding us that For Whom the Bell Tolls is still vital, significant, and relevant"--.

A collection of essays reviewing the work of Robert Graves.

A collection of critical essays on the Chilean writer and his work, arranged chronologically in the order of their original publication.

Contains a collection of critical commentaries on the works of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Offers a deeply personal introduction to the work and life of ... American poet Elizabeth Bishop. Ranging across her poetry, prose, letters, and biography, Toi?bi?n creates a vivid picture of Bishop while also revealing how her work has helped shape his sensibility as a novelist and how her experiences of loss and exile resonate with his own.

Presents a series of essays that critically analyze the works of Portuguese language writer and Nobel Prize winner, Jose Saramago, and includes an examination of his major novel, "Baltasar and Blimunda" ", with an introduction by Harold Bloom. Includes chronology, bibliography, and index.

Provides brief biographies, personal reminiscences, and contemporary critical essays on the writings of John Donne and other metaphysical poets.

Presents a collection of critical essays about the works of Cormac McCarthy.