The Theory Toolbox: Critical Concepts for the New Humanities

This book is excellent for learning the basic concepts of theory. It doesn't include primary sources, but it gives you the understanding you need to tackle the primary sources without getting lost. We used it in a discussion group and the questions in the book generated some great conversations!

This is a fantastic introduction to literary theory. It has a philosophical bend, and proves far more interesting than first glance would suggest

I am a culture and communication major -- a very communication-theory intense course of study. I had this for a class. It's great. It touches on theories of subjectivity and postmodern identity, which were my two favorite chapters. It is written in a conversational manner, despite the heady content. I think it was a helpful book for many students in my class. If you're interested in academic criticism or any theory, it's a pretty cheap book that's worth having for reference. The only annoying thing was the authors's tendency to try too hard to make pop cultural references or be funny. It wasn't funny and sometimes made me cringe.