Books on literary analysis

[Feawen]

I wondered if anyone could recommend me some books that are a good introduction to literary criticism/ analysis.

I read a lot of fiction but without guidance tend to plough through books to see what happens next. I'd like to start reading in a more considered way with more recognition of use of language, structure, plot devices and so on. For example, I read The Madwoman in the Attic by Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar several years ago and found it fascinating.

I don't mind pop suggestions if they're well done and fairly substantial, or something more academic, if anyone has any recommendations...:)

What kind of thing do you like to read, and what kind of critical approaches interest you - feminist, Marxist, psychoanalytic etc? If you enjoyed Gilbert and Gubar's Madwoman in the Attic, there's a fairly recent book called Gilbert and Gubar's Madwoman in the Attic After Thirty Years, edited by Annette Federico, which presents critical work inspired by the original volume.

Or, if you mention a particular author, period or novel that you love, people could recommend something, or there are often casebooks which offer different critical perspectives on it, or things like the Cambridge Companion series.

My first years read Selden, Widdowson and Brooker's Reader's Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory, but it would be rather dry for your purposes.

Peter Barry's Beginning Theory is a nice overview and not too dry.

Whiter that sounds like a good place to start.

Chavelita, I'm not sure I know enough about what I'm looking for to answer some of your questions ;). I guess I'm interested in women's lives and voices, in character development and how that's represented, and several of my favourite books are 19th century books by women authors. To pick a couple that I love - Middlemarch, Wives and Daughters, and (a bit more sensational) Lady Audley's Secret. On a rather different note I also like thought-provoking Sci Fi. If any of this info helps you point me in the right direction I'd be delighted. I'll certainly take a look at the book by Annette Federico.

What about reading a classic alongside a study guide. Do they still do them?!

I'm thinking of the books we used alongside A-Level English set texts that go through chapter by chapter looking at themes, language etc.

If you google 'Middlemarch criticical studies', you will get links which should show you enough of the prefaces/tables of contents to see if it's the sort of thing that would interest you.

There's also a lot of thoughtful journalism online, which might link you further -- you might also like the Victorian Web for Gaskell/sensation fiction etc.

www.theguardian.com/books/2007/aug/04/fiction.asbyatt
www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/02/14/middlemarch-and-me
www.victorianweb.org/authors/eliot/middlemarch/thompson.html
hudsonreview.com/2014/10/george-eliot-and-her-critics/#.WQxk4KK1vIU

John Mullan's How Novels Work might be of interest. If you don't read the Guardian, its book review section on Saturdays (and Sunday's Observer) from time to times does features on 19thc literature eg

www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/16/charlotte-bronte-bicentenary-birth-jane-eyre-by-sarah-waters-margaret-drabble-jeanette-winterson

www.theguardian.com/books/2014/feb/28/middlemarch-george-eliot-martin-amis-as-byatt

The British Library has a series of articles and sometimes podcasts on Victorian fiction:

www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/middlemarch-reform-and-change
www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/sensation-novels
www.theguardian.com/books/2003/aug/09/featuresreviews.guardianreview14

Do you like biography? That's another approach. There are about 40 biographies of George Eliot -- the one by Nancy Henry from a few years ago was well-reviewed, though I haven't read it. There's also Kathryn Hughes's one from 1998. The Winifred Guerin one was the standard Gaskell bio for years.

Ah, thank you! I very much like the idea of 'How Novels Work', and perhaps some biographies.

I'm realising that lately I've been reading books for escapism but they aren't books I love. I had to think back quite a while to find a loved book rather than a mildly entertaining one. Anyway, I have some great suggestions to look at.

It's not quite literary criticism but The Road To Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead is a really good read. Middlemarch is my fave too.

Thanks, Middlemarch buddy ;)

I like Marina Warner on fairy tales, e.g. From the Beast to the Blonde.

Do you like Jane Austen? There's an excellent one about her language and structure.

If you want to start a the very beginning:

There is one among the "great courses" on audible: "The art of reading" (pdf textbook included) . Its a nice and easy introduction without forcing you to read a text through the lens of a theory.
A 'further reading list' is included and you can branch out from there..

I've got a few, I have starting reading classics, I think a good way of going about analysis, is getting others to read to same book, so you can all share ideas. As it gives many view points on the same text.

I have a few books that detail how one can analyse texts, but having read such books, I do thing group chats are beneficial and interesting.

Is there any particular genre you are interested in?

Maroon, one of my favourite pieces of writing is Tolkien's essay on fairytales so that could be right up my street.

Remus, I do, and it'd be great if you could mention the title.

Prok, I listen to audio books on my way to work, so I'll definitely check that out.

MissE, yes, I do see what you mean. I used to be part of a book club but it ended up being more wine and gossip than talking about books :(. I have just moved house so might see if there is anything local to get involved with.

Thank you all so much - I'm excited about getting started!

You could try 'Reading like a Writer' by the aptly named Francine Prose: www.amazon.co.uk/Reading-Like-Writer-Guide-People/dp/1908526076?tag=mumsnetforum-21

It's a bit heavy but I found it rather interesting!

Do you have a profile on GoodReads.com? I find that there are a few groups on there that enjoy critiquing books in more detail.

I know what you mean about Book Groups. If I read a 600 page book I want to discuss it properly - talk about structure, language, plot, themes etc, not just say 'I didn't like it' and then start discussing what is on TV

What about getting hold of one of the Open University English Literature textbooks Feawen? They definitely did a Nineteenth Century module because I bought one of the accompanying books a couple of years ago (called 'Realities' or something like that) for my own personal study. I think Middlemarch might even have been one of the set texts.

We could do a book club here, it could be mostly talking about whatever book.

That way you can chat when you wish.

Sounds good MissE - I'd be happy to join in.

Francine Prose :D

I was once in a supposedly 'high-brow', selective book group at Oxford, the brainchild of a postgrad working on research on book groups, literary tastes and publishing, and I left after about three sessions, because no one seemed to have any thoughts or opinions about what we'd been reading. Other than 'I didn't like it. 'Ooh, me neither!'