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Howards End
The Longest Journey
A Room With A View
Where Angels Fear to Tread ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

worth the time
the astonishing talents of a woman abroad run through each of the four books allowing a woman of today the fear and glee of yesteryear. ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

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This is a science fiction story by Forster. The story describes a world in which most of the human population has lost the ability to live on the surface of the Earth. In 1973 it was included in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame. It was considered one of the best novellas ever published. Television and stage adaptations were made in the UK and in the USA. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A must read when the power goes out.
This excellent little story has a valuable message for a World highly dependent on technology.What happens when the Machine stops?I've read it (around the fireplace) to my children (grade school age and up) when the power was out.This story does not age; it just gets better and more apropos the more technological we become.I am not anti-technology, but I am giving it as gifts to all my friends who spend a great part of their life in front of a screen ... as a reminder.

Wow!How prescient
I'm amazed to find that there are actually ten other people in the world who have read this book.I mean, I thought that other than my Aspie reading group, I was pretty much alone in the world when it came to my love for historic sci-fi.THis book is amazing -- it's as though EM Forster somehow predicted the rise of the internet, globalization, and the ways in which it will affect our social interactions -- all the way back in 1914!I like to picture him now looking down from heaven, watching us interact in facebook and the like and going "Gotcha.I told you so."What a shame, however, that he also predicted the rise of anomie and the social isolation that we would feel.What a shame that more people didn't read it, predict it, and act to prevent it from happening.But great literature.enjoy it -- both of you readers of this type of stuff.

One of the great masterpieces of Edwardian science fiction, chillingly prophetic
One of the great visionary works of Edwardian ("Wellsian") era science fiction, "The Machine Stops" is a propulsive novella describing the end result of mechanized, dehumanized mankind, and its potential rebirth. I've lately read quite a few short stories by Forster's and Wells' contemporaries, and rarely do they come remotely close to the power and conciseness of the vision offered here. Vashti, a mother in a far-remote future cannot abide her distant son Kuno's attempts to find his way into the world of the outside, the world that her civilization had long ago given up in favor of total artificiality....but she would do well to heed his heretical words, as the decrepit and enfeebled society begins to crumble when the machines - which the people no longer have the knowledge or ability to reproduce or repair - begin to break down.

Hugely influential on SF writers, this really deserves to be better known among general audiences.It's rather astonishing to think that this dystopian vision was published in 1909 - over 20 years before Huxley's "Brave New World" and 40 before Orwell's "1984".Wells himself rarely produced anything of this intensity in the genre, though he certainly had an admitted influence on this work (in particular I think with his 1899 novel "When the Sleeper Wakes").Forster's attitude about progress seems altogether more pessimistic than Wells' early "scientific romances", though interestingly enough at the end of his life Wells himself retreated towards just this sort of dreary outlook in the wake of World War II and the atomic bomb.

As others have stated, this Dodo Press edition might not be the best way to attain this classic work - but by all means, if you are a serious student of science fiction or prophetic, social-themed literature, read it.And if you're a fan of the author, read it for an example of something altogether in a different veing than "Howards End".

Must read
This little novel should be required reading for everyone!
Whoda thunk ol' E.M. would be so prescient?

Don't buy this edition
This story stands out in many ways as one of the most prescient pieces of fiction that I've ever read.I'd suggest it to anyone who is interested in holding up a (somewhat distorted) mirror to our society.

That being said, I wouldn't buy this edition.There are typos on almost every page, many of them so obvious that you wonder if they had anyone proof the manuscript before printing.Other typos are subtle and detract from reading the story.

The choice of cover art is also questionable.The picture is of an O'Neill cylinder.While the book does describe humans living in an artificial world, it is nothing like (in function or intent) like the habitat shown on the cover.This normally would be worth noting, except that it shows the general lack of care that went into the book.

E.M. Forester and his story deserve better. ... Read more

Product Description
SynopsisIn the novels he wrote at the turn of the twentieth century, E.M. Forster captured the temperament of England's upper-middle class and the tension of challenges to its stifling conventions. His tales of sophisticated socialites beguiled by uninhibited members of other classes and cultures, and of morally serious men and women struggling with their impulsive emotions, are among the most elegant and entertaining works of literature produced in the Edwardian era.The four novels collected in this volume-Where Angels Fear to Tread, The Longest Journey, A Room with a View, and Howard's End-represent the best of Forster's early fiction. Distinguished by their wit and irony, and memorable for their sensitive character studies, they are the enduring legacy of an artist who has been hailed as one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. BiographyA graceful writer with a keen eye for the bittersweetness bound in differences of class and culture, E. M. Forster had an abbreviated but remarkably successful career as a novelist and established himself as one of England's most insightful 20th-century writers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent compilation featuring 4 of Forster's novels
"The Library of Essential Writers" series of books are affordable and beautiful editions, not to mention sturdy [they are all in hardcover] and number about 31 works in all. In this collection of E.M. Forster's 4 novels, the works are "Where Angels Fear to tread", "The Longest Journey", "A Room with a View", and "Howard's End". The works which are complete and unabridged are preceded by a brief introduction by author Brian Stableford.

I'd also recommend reading "Aspects of the Novel" by E.M Forster [1956] ... Read more

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Howards End by E. M. Forster
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Customer Reviews (131)

This Room Has Many Revealing Views
A simple love story about turn of the last century English society and individuals set in Florence, Italy.

This classic is well-written, engaging, rich and moving.The conflict between social norms and individual behavior is well illustrated.The characters develop through the chapters, becoming familiar and human, even if they are not all lovable or psychologically deep.The limitations of being too conformist, aspiring or rational are shown.The heroine, Lucy, seeks personal growth through travel, experiences and music.She is unsure of herself as she grows, unsure of where she wants to go or how to get there.Yet, through the simple act of showing up and having a small amount of self-confidence and self-awareness, she does grow and achieve some of her ends.Forster's writing style is appealing and approachable.Both the particular details and the eternal themes resonate a century later.As noted by the critics, the plot is a bit erratic at times and relies upon improbable coincidences to weave the ending. Nonetheless, this is an easy read with several layers of depth and meaning.

Propriety and Passion
I teach literature at the university level. I read E.M. Forster decades ago, and saw many of the films based on his books. (A Room with a View and Howard's End were excellent adaptations.) For some reason, after listening to a panel discussion on the radio about a new Forster biography, I decided to pick up a copy of A Room with A View. I found Forster's writing, in certain places, stiff and archaic (even when taking into account the time period), more so than (a much earlier) Austen's writing, perhaps because he is not quite as witty as she. However, the beauty and passion of the Lucy-George love story, and Forster's powerful philosophy of undying, truthful love that undergirds the story (primarily delivered in short speeches by the elder Mr. Emerson)overrides any twisted or cement-like sentences. Unlike some other readers, I felt terribly sad for and empathized with Cecil Vyse. I do not think he is a bad man; he is simply a different kind of man than George, and Forster makes a point of contrasting the two. However, another type of woman, not Lucy, might have found him quite fine. If you are a hopeless romantic, no matter your age, you will love this novel.

Delightful!
I listened to this on the Communter Library audio version, read by Wanda McCaddon.I didn't find that listed here at Amazon so I'm posting my review here.I did, however, want to give special praise to Ms. McCaddon's reading.I've listened to quite a few audio books and I've found that performance of the reader can add or detract from the words.Ms. McCaddon's readings of the old, the young, male or female are wonderful.I completely forgot that an actress was reading the lines.

I had just finished another audio book of Edith Wharton's Age of Innocence.The theme is the same:the choice the protagonist must make between his feelings and his obligation to the social standing of his family.However in my opinion Forster's work is far superior in the sense of its quiet, subtle, gentle tone and its wisdom. He doesn'thit you over the head with the details of the social inequalities that poor Ms. Wharton did.She was certainly justified, given her personal experience but she loads you with so muchverbiage that I found it much less interesting than this book.

These characters are well rounded, not just stock types, as Wharton's were.Lucy appears to be a rather ordinary young girl but we see, through the perceptive comments of Mr. Beebe, that there are depths in her of which she is unaware.I appreciated Forster's portrayal of the rector, Mr. Beebe, avoiding all of the stereotypes of the English clergy of the time that one would easily fall into.Her mother, her cousin, Charlotte, and the amazing Emersons are all real people, with their faults as well as their virtues.

There is so much wisdom, inserted in quiet ways in thislittle story that at times I wanted to pull my car over and write down a sentence. One of the gems that I did remember was Forster's remark that although Lucy's dilemma seemed to be a choice between personal feelings and the dictates of society, that it was really between reality and illusion!I had just this thought when I was listening to Wharton's book and was so happy to hear Forster articulate it.

There is a lot of light hearted humor in the book, too.I loved the scene of the three fellows bathing in the pond.And the scene where George Emerson finds Lucy in the field of violets is amazing!No wonder he was gripped with passion...who could resist all those violets on a hillside in Florence?

I'm sure I'm missing some of the othere virtues of this unpretentious but wise little book.Read some of the other excellent reviews.Better yet, read the book!

Oh, I want to go to Italy
I really liked this book. He does a good job of describing these British high society characters that can be really uptight and close-minded despite the fact that they travel extensively. I also like how the subtle similarities between Charlotte Barlett and her cousin, Lucy Honeychurch, come out as the novel progresses. They both get sort of nervous and muddled when they meet the Emersons, who challenge social conventions.
And I think the scene in the violet field is one of the great romant...more I really liked this book. He does a good job of describing these British high society characters that can be really uptight and close-minded despite the fact that they travel extensively. I also like how the subtle similarities between Charlotte Barlett and her cousin, Lucy Honeychurch, come out as the novel progresses. They both get sort of nervous and muddled when they meet the Emersons, who challenge social conventions.
And I think the scene in the violet field is one of the great romantic scenes of British lit. It makes me want to go to Italy.

Sealed with a kiss
It is difficult to imagine a girl in the 21st century over-reacting to a rather innocent kiss, as is the case with the inciting event here.But this is exactly the situation a century ago with a girl from a respectable English family.And this is what makes the novel difficult to grasp for readers of our present day.

Not all that much happens.There's the kiss and then a whole lot of agonizing over it, trying to hide news of it, pretending that it wasn't meaningful, to the point that the poor girl's life is in turmoil, her engagement to another is broken.

The characters are wispy--we never quite see clear pictures of them.The dialogue is stilted by current standards. (Did people ever really talk that way?)The atmosphere of Florence, Italy, and semi-rural England is also a trifle wispy; the reader never quite feels as if he has benn taken along for the trip.

There are great many annoying editorial intrusions in order to puff up this lame plot, and most of the actions are internal.I'm not saying that an explosion or a car chase would have been necessary, but something more might have happened.There is a murder, but it is of no consequence.All in all, I'd say the novel is just a tad over-rated.I believe it was Mark Twain who said that a classic was a book that people praised and no one read.Few people voluntarily, rather, in this case. ... Read more

Product Description
Four works by E.M. Forster are collected here in one collection with active table of contents. Works include:

Howards End
The Longest Journey
A Room with a View
Where Angels Fear to Tread ... Read more

Product Description
One of the great novelists of the century--author of A Passage to India and Howards End--E.M. Forster has been an enigma to the public. In his new biography, Beauman wonderfully explores every aspect of Forster's life, evoking his lifelong obsession with houses, families, and inherited traditions. 16 pages of photos; 12 illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Second Best
With the standards set so high by Furbank (isn't it telling that the cover added to this web page is the cover of Furbank's biography and not that of Beauman?) there is quite little one can do. One can always go wrong, however, and to some degree this is what the book does. I found its concentration on Forster's homosexuality (can he be outed any more after the publication of Maurice in 1971?) quite tiresome and insistence on stressing his biography and its influence on his works not always substantiated. You can find all the important details here but if you want a good read as well, take the hint from this web page and get yourself a copy of Furbank's biography instead.

An outing to be relished - an inspirational and superb read.
If one purpose of a literary biography is to inspire the reader to return to the works of the subject of the biography with renewed enthusiasm then Ms Beauman has succeeded admirably. But her work is also a timely reminder of the significance of an artist to the health of a civilized society. In this age of "outcomes", "product" and "prioritization" Mr Forster's speech as a resident honorary fellow of King's College Cambridge when proposing a toast to the health of the college must stand as a delicious ironical instance of the artist as just being - and that being enough. He said " I do not belong here at all. I do nothing here whatsoever. I hold no college office, I attend no committee, I sit on no body, however solid, not even on the Annual Congregation. I co-opt not, nor am I co-opted. I teach not, neither do I think, and even the glory in which I am now arranged was borrowed from another college for the occasion." Forster's relationship with his mother together with his homosexuality loom large in Ms Beauman's analysis which is not to say that her consideration of the works is less than thorough. Indeed, her research into the genesis and development of PASSAGE TO INDIA is especially detailed and illuminating. The Forster story by Ms Beauman is one that is told with understanding, warmth and a deep humanity that was a characteristic of the subject himself. Of particular interest was when the writer, Beauman, addresses the reader,you, expressing some doubt about including rather revelatory and intimate details of Forster's sexual adventures. This is an instance of ".... on the other hand it could be said..." that was a trademark of Forster's method. A most enjoyable read. Dare I say I came away from reading it a better person? ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A Personal Awakening a Century Ago - Still a Valid Lesson
This charming little novel which has recently celebrated its centennary can be easily put down as a period piece. E M Forster foresaw it already in his note which he added to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first edition. Yet a prospective reader would be most wrong to disregard it. There is a lesson here which still needs to be learned by many.
The title gives away some of the content - the main heroine, Lucy Honeychurch, needs to get away from the stuffy atmosphere of late Victorian England in which she was brought up - the symbol of which is for EMF the room. Her escape takes place in stages - the first of them is her trip to Italy where she finds landscapes and people most different from those she was accustomed to. It is also there that she meets the man she falls in love with, George Emerson. Yet these changes come too quickly for her. Lucy yields to the demands of her chaperone and escapes back to England, finding on the way a more appropriate suitor, Cecil Vyse.
When the three young people meet again in England, a fight for Lucy's soul begins anew. Lucy has to decide whether she prefers Cecil who will keep her under his protection in his house as a work of art for others to admire, or George with whom she will have to face the challenges of the world but be free.
What is the lesson for us today in a world where there are neither chaperones nor stage-coaches? We also must make similar decisions - choose freedom which always comes at a cost or safety for which we must pay with our soul. We choose between being true to ourselves or satisfying the demands of others. Lucy's adventures may serve as a perfect food for thought for those facing seemingly dissimilar but actually very similar decisions. It is the more valuable as Forster does not show easy decisions or easy solutions. The happy ending never comes free and yet still it is worth striving for. ... Read more

Product Description
1923. English author and critic, member of Bloomsbury group and friend of Virginia Woolf who achieved fame through his novels, which include: Room with a View, Maurice, A Passage to India, and Howard's End. The Celestial Omnibus is a collection of short-stories Forster wrote during the prewar years, most of which were symbolic fantasies or fables. Contents: The Story of a Panic; The Other Side of the Hedge; The Celestial Omnibus; Other Kingdom; The Curate's Friend; and The Road from Colonus. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Prepare for A Wonderful Journey
The Celestial Omnibus and Other Stories was written in 1911 by Edward Morgan Forster (1879 - 1970), an English novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist.

The best way to enjoy these stories is like that of an experienced traveler to foreign lands. The mature wanderer knows that you cannot demand the country change itself for you, but that one must adapt to the country to discover its riches and wonders. True enjoyment takes work.

There truly are riches and wonders in this collection of six short stories, but to appreciate their essence, one is going to have to give up the hard boiled cynicism of the 21st century and embrace the romance, mystery, and pure wonder of fin de siècle Great Britain. The mature reader who will let Forster speak for himself is surely in for a treat. In these tales you will meet a spoiled young man whose life is changed by a visit from an ancient god (The Story of a Panic), question whether life is a rat race or maybe something more (The Other Side of the Hedge). If you are willing to pay for the ticket, you'll visit a land where the works of great authors (if not the authors themselves) have a Heaven all their own (The Celestial Omnibus) and that classic myths can be repeated again and again (Other Kingdom) to great tragic effect. You'll also meet an irreverent faun who becomes the best friend of a reverent clergyman (The Curate's Friend) and discover that the call to wonder can be found in the strangest places (The Road from Colonus) as well as the price that must be paid to ignore it.

So pack your bags and get ready for a trip. The ticket is free, but if you truly have a soul that is sensitive to what C. S. Lewis called the numinous, like all good travelers, you may bring back more from the trip than what you left with.

Think About It
Quite possibly the best collection of short stories published in the Twentieth Century, so minimalist that they're metaphysical.Each demonstrates that the meaning of meaning is the creation of meaning, that people exist to create meaning, whether they know it or not, and what it means to create meaning, or fail.Images become symbols, symbols become allegories.High bourgeois culture, at its best, accessible at many levels to anyone.

A Celestial Read
The other reviewer of this book completely missed the point of the story. THE CELESTIAL OMNIBUS is about the liberation of the Soul through Art, and is not meant to be a religious text at all. A young boy in a prosaic middleclass suburb catches a glimpse of something otherworldly in an alley--anomnibus that travels 'To Heaven'. This is not the religious Heaven but theinfinite world of the imagination. Great literature literally provides anescape for the boy, who has a poet's soul and is ridiculed for it by hisfamily and their friends. In their view, Literature and Poetry exist onlyon library shelves, bound in red leather.It is the neighbor, who onlyconcentrates on the physical manifestation of the writings, who 'dies onthe earth' since he confuses the end with the means. It is more importantto feel the spirit of a great writer than to worry about the binding ontheir books, while never understanding their meaning. The other stories inthis collection are also memorable and deal with living the quiet life andleaving the rat race--in one case, literally. This is one of the mostinspirational collections of short stories ever written and it is a shamethat it is out of print.

The Omnibus and twentieth century secularism by Katie Hansen
"The Celestial Omnibus" by E.M. Forster tells of a boy's belief in a celestial omnibus, a future state or heaven.In the story, his belief and curiosity is ridiculed by his parents. This action shows the idea of secularism, by discouraging the boy against the idea of an after-life.Instead of leading him toward Christian morality, his parents direct him to memorizing poetry, showing their belief in the morality and well being of man in this life. Sneakily, the boy discovers that the omnibus is not a joke, as his parents told him, but that is was real.The boy is made to be a liar when he returns, but soon convinces Mr. Bons to go back to the omnibus with him.The boy is able to enter the "heaven," but, because of Mr. Bons' disbelief,he dies on the earth ... Read more

Product Description
Among the greatest novels of the twentieth century and the basis for director David Lean’s Academy Award-winning film, A Passage to India tells of the clash of cultures in British India after the turn of the century. In exquisite prose, Forster reveals the menace that lurks just beneath the surface of ordinary life, as a common misunderstanding erupts into a devastating affair.
Amazon.com Review
What really happened in the Marabar caves? This is the mystery at the heart of E.M. Forster's 1924 novel, A Passage to India, the puzzle thatsets in motion events highlighting an even larger question: Can anEnglishman and an Indian be friends?

"It is impossible here," an Indian character tells his friend, Dr. Aziz,early in the novel.

"They come out intending to be gentlemen, and are toldit will not do.... Why, I remember when Turton came out first. It was inanother part of the Province. You fellows will not believe me, but I havedriven with Turton in his carriage--Turton! Oh yes, we were once quiteintimate. He has shown me his stamp collection.

"He would expect you to steal it now. Turton! But red-nosed boy will be farworse than Turton!

"I do not think so. They all become exactly the same, not worse, notbetter. I give any Englishman two years, be he Turton or Burton. It is onlythe difference of a letter. And I give any Englishwoman six months. All areexactly alike."

Arguably Forster's greatest novel, A Passage to India limns atroubling portrait of colonialism at its worst, and is remarkable for thecomplexity of its characters. Here the personal becomes the political andin the breach between Aziz and his English "friends," Forster foreshadowsthe eventual end of the Raj. --Alix Wilber ... Read more

Customer Reviews (110)

Pleased
The book was shipped immediately and arrived at my door very quickly.Product was exactly as described.Buying used books online is so much less expensive than buying them from the bookstore.I appreciate the amazing service!

Too long, Descriptive, and Uncreative
I honestly wish I had never read this book, a tremendous waste of my time. Of all the ideas Forster could have come up with for a novel he chose... the relations of Indians and Englishmen. Very dissapointing,never caught my attention.

????
This book is very confusing the first 6 chapters but it is slowly making more sense the more i read. I had to read this for school and would not recommend it to those with a small vocabulary or little knowledge of older English.

Interesting but not convincing
I enjoyed the book; I found myself engrossed in the story and eager to find out the ending.The 3 stars are more for character development.Very few of the characters, or their relationships, were believable to me.An example:Aziz develops a deep affection and respect for Mrs. Moore -- feelings important to the overall plot -- however, they have only met maybe 3? times.Ok, maybe Aziz is an open-hearted man but Mrs. Moore's son also says Mrs. Moore 'loved' Aziz.For me, it required the willing suspension of disbelief.Miss Quested's revelation about the case was surprising and not well explained.Convenient, it seemed.Even Aziz's and Fielding's friendship suddenly existed without much foundation amid a great deal of misunderstanding and awkwardness.

However, the picture the book paints of colonial India and the behavior of the British was fascinating.I felt despair on behalf of Aziz and intense frustration and dislike of the ruling British.The book certainly transported me, despite the issues I have with it.

"Oh dear.East and West: so misleading"
Seeking to fill some gaps in my literary education, I was referred to Forster's _A Passage to India_.It is a marvelous: beautifully written, and ahead of its time.Set in India at the zenith of British colonialism there, the fortunes of three Britons and an Indian cross.Miss Quested, a newcomer, wishes to see "the real India" in spite of her countrymen's disapproval.Taken, along with Mrs. Moore (also a new arrival) and Mr. Fielding by their Indian guide, Dr. Aziz, an incident occurs in the Marabar Caves that is never very clear; whatever happened (or did not), Miss Quested accuses Dr. Aziz of sexual assault.

The heart of the story isn't the accusation, nor its resolution.Rather, it is the subtle layers of misunderstandings, miscues and mistrust between Indian and Englishman, and even between Hindu and Muslim in India.The nuance and perspective Forster provides is simply sublime - the arrogance of the imperialist British, the anger and bitterness by Hindu and Muslim towards their occupier, and the mututal mistrust between Indian Muslims and Hindus is brilliantly illustrated.That what precisely happened in the caves is never wholly resolved allows the reader to insert themselves (and their respective prejudices and perspectives) into the story.

What particularly resonated with me (beyond the marvelous prose and variety of honest perspective through his characters) was how far ahead of his time Forster was.At the close of the book, Aziz - a western-educated physician (and therefore a "safe" Indian in the eyes of the British prior to the accusation against him) has a conversation with Fielding, his erstwhile friend, in which Aziz remarks, "Until England is in difficulties, we will keep silent, but in the next European war - aha, aha!Then is our time! ... India shall be a nation!No foreigners of any sort! Hindu and Moslem and Sikh and all shall be one! Hurrah!Hurrah for India! ... and then (half kissing Fielding) you and I shall be friends."This, written in 1924 - almost a full generation before India's independence.But it is not only Forster's prediction eerie, but his unabashed anti-imperialist voice suprised me.

This book rightfully belongs among the century's greatest works for the skill and beauty of the author's way with words as for his sentiments.Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Forster's social critique of British colonial occupation in India urges tolerance while it explores the clash of Eastern and Western culture in the 1920s.

The title, E.M. Forester’s A Passage to India, part of Chelsea House Publishers’ Modern Critical Interpretations series, presents the most important 20th-century criticism on E.M. Forester’s A Passage to India through extracts of critical essays by well-known literary critics.This collection of criticism also features a short biography on E.M. Forester, a chronology of the author’s life, and an introductory essay written by Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University. ... Read more

Product Description
The recent successful film adaptations of Howard's End, A Room With a View, and Where Angels Fear to Tread have helped to inspire a new critical and popular readership for E. M. Forster. With an introduction by Louis Auchincloss, these three classic novels are accompanied here by The Longest Journey and the short stories from his admired first collection, The Celestial Omnibus. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I think I like this book.
I think I like this book. It's sad to say that I only bought this book because Robert Pattinson said he was reading it and I love him! It's not something I would read on my own, but its actually pretty good. lol. ... Read more

Product Description
This new collection of essays, each one by a recognized expert, both brings Forster studies up to date and provides lively and innovative readings of every aspect of his wide-ranging career. It includes substantial chapters dedicated to his two major novels, Howards End and A Passage to India, and further chapters focus on A Room With a View and Maurice. Forster's connections with the values of Bloomsbury and the lure of Greece and Italy in his work are assessed, as is his vexed relationship with Modernism. Other essays investigate his role as a literary critic, the status of his work within the genres of the novel and the short story, his treatment of sexuality and his attitude to and representation of women. This is the most comprehensive study of Forster's work to be published for many years, providing an invaluable source of comment on and insight into his writings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

So Why Are You Writing About Him?
A new volume on EMF, the product of a group of renowned scholars is bound to raise expectations. Unfortunately, this volume does not live up to them.
It has all the faults of a collective enterprise. The editor apparently did not have the stamina to control the volume beyond establishing (fairly rational) general frame. It is true that judging by the list of contents you have here everything you need. The articles, however, are of rather uneven quality. Some of them do not offer much beyond stating the obvious ("Filmed Forster" as well as chapters on specific novels), some reflect the authors personal agendas without moving to the alleged subject matter ("Forster's life and life writing" offers almost no information on his biography...) while some show interesting lack of interest in modern Forsterian criticism ("Forsterian sexuality" - footnotes are very telling, it seems that the author desperately wanted to discover everything by himself probably because he failed to do his research).
Strangely many of the articles share one common element - the authors seem uncertain why actually they should be writing about Forster at all. The words "Forster's career as a novelist was spectacularly lopsided" open the Introduction and somehow this seems to be the key issue for the whole volume. Does it really matter? Wouldn't it be better to start from a quote from David Lodge - "EMF is one of the three most important native English novelists of the 20th century"?
Consequent authors concentrate on the question "Why did EMF dry up as a novelist?" so much that they seem to miss that we don't want to read about the books he never wrote or short stories he chose to destroy. There really is enough to Forster to keep him interesting and (yes!) powerful writer over eighty years after he chose to give up writing novels. Apparently, not enough for majority of the renowned authors involved.
One last thing - I could not decide who is supposed to be the target audience of the volume. There are too few new things to make the volume interesting for a seasoned Forsterian as myself and too many well-known facts are missing to make it a valuable read for someone new to a field.
Anyway, there is quite a lot of good books about EMF and quite a few bad ones. This one is somewhere in the middle of the range. If you feel like reading it you may as well wait till your university library buys one. Paying for a copy with your own money is a waste. ... Read more