Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense

I Thought I Was The Only One Who Recognized That Fine-Writing Does Have A Certain Rarified Quality Of Sound. Thank You For Writing This Book!

The book isn't what I expected, but it is useful. The author basically provides a criticism/analysis of all the works. I was actually expecting a simple response to all the questions at the end of each work. In the end, the criticism is very informative and provides great insight into all the works.

I purchased this book for my ENGL1102 class, where we were using a much higher edition, however so far all the stories that we have went over have been in this much older edition, so why not save a few bucks?

This literature book has a wealth of knowledge for creative writers. This book is a goldmine regarding literature and how it impacts on structure, sound and sense. I really enjoyed the section on poetry. It covers the elements of poetry in an excellent fashion. One is able to get an enhanced understanding of literature and the various aspects of such a dynamic subject, regarding poetry, fiction and non-fiction. The selected pieces in the book are easily read, and are packed with images. Get ready to read a great literature book and be prepared for an accelerated boost in the world of literature. This is also a great reference book for future use. Other great books for relaxation are: "Trilogy Moments for the Mind, Body and Soul," which feature the new Epulaeryu poetry form, "Everyday Miracles," and "The Language of Poetry Forms."

*SS & S* is a great book for anyone who enjoys serious literature. I have not read this, the latest edition, but I doubt that the content has changed significantly.What makes this book so good is the fact that it is highly readable. The stories, poems, and plays selected for the text are chosen to appeal to a wide audience. A plethora of writers that span the Middle Ages to the mid-20th century appear within these pages. It is a wonderful overview of English literature, and I feel that it makes a much better book than the Nortan Anthologies simply because it doesn't focus on one medium, nation, or time period. What also appeals to me about this text is the space given to non-Shakespearean authors, esp. of the Elizabethan times. Too often, ol' *Romeo*'s bard pops up, and we are deprived of a chance to learn about other (and possibly greater) writers, such as Jonson, Marlowe, and (my favorite) Donne.Five years ago, I complete my high school senior English lit. course with the fifth edition of this text. My teacher was sufficiently impressed with my taking to the volume that she discreetly "loaned" me an old fourth edition. This red tome has journeyed across the country with me, and I hope is that one day my children and grandchildren will derive as much pleasure from it as I have. Whenever I feel the urge to read something substantial but not take a few weeks to do so, *SS & S* has always been there for me. Order this book, and you will never need for a short classic again.

Perrine approaches the three broad genres of literature-- short story, poetry, and drama--in an exciting, fun way for beginning literature students, or those required to take a literature course. And for the instructor, "Literature" is especially a beginning instructor's dream. Perrine organizes the genre's in three separate sections and provides solid, accepted critical material on craftsmenship. He also provides excellent study questions for students. The poetry section is especially good. He presents progressively more sophisticated poems and also gives side by comparisons of "bad" poems with "good" poems which have the same theme. In the past, a companion teacher's supplement was avaiable which was balanced, readable, and nonthreatening in that instructors could use the supplemental comments or not and feel comfortable either way.