[.ca] A Reader's Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory (ISBN 0582894107)

Excellent intro to literary theory:
This book is a must for any student of literature. It gives a brief but always clear description of all the major theories of contemporary criticism (except the myth criticism of Frye and Jung, which prevents my giving the book a five). Topics covered include New Criticism, Marxism, Russian Formalism, Structuralism, Poststructuralism, Psychoanalysis, New Historicism, Cultural Materialism, Feminism, Post-Colonialism, and Queer Theory. A study of these theories will help any student increase their appreciation for and understanding of literature and literary theory. The book, however, only covers the theories in their theoretical context and not in their practical applications to literature. That is covered in the companion book A Reader's Guide. The theories are covered in relation to the major theorists behind them (Leavis, Bakhtin, Todorov, Derrida, DeMan, Barthes, Lacan, Kristeva, Foucault, etc.)

Can You Put Together a Stereo?:
This book reads like stereo instructions! In fact, it contradicts itself more often stereo instructions. Many terms are used but not defined. Basically, if you are a student, it's impossible!

A wonderful supplement to primary theory readings:
For some years I have used this book, in a number of its editions, as one of the texts in my college upper-division literary theory class. Each edition is better and more inclusive than the last. Selden sorts out literary theory into its logical categories (New Criticism, structuralism, poststructuralism, cultural theories). Chapters provide useful, clearly written, and accurate summaries of fields/schools/movements and brief summaries of the works and contributions of major theorists in each. The book works particularly well in a twentieth-century theory class in conjunction with a reader in primary theory, such as the wonderful Norton Anthology of Critical Theory (first published in 2001) and a glossary of critical terms (such as the terrifically useful Oxford Dictionary of Literary Theory). My students consistently end up liking Selden's book; they usually comment on how clearly it lays out major ideas in each theoretical camp and how it helps them to read the difficult primary texts by powerhouses such as Marx, Derrida, Foucault, Cixous. The companion reader is ok, but not as useful as this summary of theoretical positions.