Notable British Novelists, Vol. 3

Library Journal

This three-volume work is a clever and serviceable repackaging of the eight-volume Critical Survey of Long Fiction, second revised edition (LJ 10/1/00). Rollyson, who also supervised the Critical Survey, offers 104 up-to-date essays, primarily by U.S. scholars, maintaining the same thorough analysis and consistent tone as the original. Each essay lists the principal works by the author and describes his or her achievements and biography, analyzing the overall body of work and each novel individually. The updated annotated bibliography at the end of each essay provides excellent sources for further research, and over half the essays include a photo or drawing of the author. The writers, a few of whom were born in Ireland but have close associations to Great Britain, were chosen because their works are often studied in high school and college. A wide range of styles and genres, notably gothic, mystery, and sf, are represented. A nine-page glossary of terms and techniques and a time line, which begins in the early 15th century, ends in 1950, and notes each author's date and place of birth, precedes an index consisting mainly of author and title references. The volumes seem well bound, but the type is smaller and the paper thinner than in the original series. A complete list of contents appears at the beginning of each volume, making the set easy to browse. The compact size and focus on one country of origin will appeal to less sophisticated scholars. Highly recommended for small public and college libraries. Vivian Reed, California State Univ. Lib., Long Beach Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

This three-volume set consists of biographical sketches and analyses of 104 of the best known English, Scottish, and Irish writers of long fiction from the 15th through the 20th centuries. A combination of new essays and updated ones from (2000), the entries examine the works most often studied in high school and undergraduate literature classes and present reference information (the novelist's birth and death dates and a list of the principal works with publication dates); the other literary forms, such as drama, poetry, nonfiction, or short fiction; and principal honors and awards. The major sections of text offer a summary of the writer's personal and professional life, an analysis of the work in detail, and other major works. A b&w portrait accompanies each essay. Entries are arranged alphabetically. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)