[.ca] Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms (ISBN 1403905053)

From Amazon.com:
The Bedford Glossary includes lengthy (and easy-to-follow) discussions of ideas including such biggies as cultural studies, deconstruction, feminist criticism, gender criticism, irony, Marxist criticism, the new historicism, poststructuralism, psychological criticism and psychoanalytic criticism, and reader-response criticism. More obscure terms--anagnorisis, epithalamium, Menippean satire, kenning--receive shorter but equally careful treatment. This is a clear and comprehensive reference for academics, intellectuals, and anyone else who wants to hold forth intelligently on subjects literary and critical. --Jane Steinberg

comprehensive and lucid:
This glossary is one of the best I have seen, combining both exhaustive and detailed enteries as well as a wide range of coverage. Literary periods from Old English to the Postmodern are discussed in detail - the article on postmodernism is almost six pages. Critical approaches such as structralism and postcolonialism are lucidly presented. Literary trends and tropes are explained with illustrative examples. Crossrefrencing is particularly very useful. All this makes this glossary a good study aid for both literary students and scholars.

Offers far more depth than its title suggests:
Yes, this is an excellent glossary of terms. It is also much more. Within these 420 pages, the authors have taken time and space to explore in depth the significance of varied approaches to literary analysis and scholarship. The confusing and politicized nature of 20th Century literary criticism is served well in Murphin & Ray's clear and even-handed explication of various schools and styles. I think that new initiates to literary studies will appreciate the lengthy analyses given to critical schools/styles ( from aestheticism and close reading... to new historicism and 'theory' ). I find that this humbly titled "glossary" offers clearer and fairer insights into of these stormy academic seas that most books claiming "Intro to Criticism" in their titles. This is a great reference volume for literature students. My only disappointment was the lack of references, and of suggestions for reading in more depth (other than in-passing mention of authors' names and occasional book titles), but that of course would have taken this volume further beyond the class of mere "glossary". Still, in summary: indispensable - unsurpassed!