Product Description
A treasure-house of literary entertainment, featuring a century's worth of the best reviews, essays, and interviews ever published in The New York Times Book Review.

With more than 250 selections, Books of the Century -- now updated for this paperback edition -- sheds light on some of our greatest writers and how their books were received when first reviewed in The New York Times Book Review, America's most widely read journal of the literary arts. Arranged chronologically, here are reviews of Franz Kafka's The Trial, Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl, E. M. Forster's A Passage to India, and Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls. Also selected from the Book Review's pages are letters to the editor from Jack London and Joseph Conrad, interviews with Émile Zola and Vladimir Nabokov, essays by Saul Bellow and Gabriel García Márquez, and the "Oops!" feature, which humbly presents reviews of classics such as Catch-22 and The Catcher in the Rye that the Book Review initially panned. A time line runs throughout, highlighting the century's literary landmarks. Bringing together classic reviews and writings, The New York Times Book Review has created a resource to be read and cherished for years to come.


Amazon.com Review
Books of the Century, modestly subtitled A Hundred Years ofAuthors, Ideas, and Literature, is a fine and firm rebuff to anyone who hasever thought the New York Times Book Review the stodgiest ofinstitutions. Sifting through the archives, the editors have come up with awealth of killer critiques, beginning with an ambivalent notice of TheSpoils of Poynton and ending with Martin Amis's ecstasy overUnderworld. Many of the reviews feature matches made in editorialheaven: Randall Jarrell on e.e. cummings, Welty on E.B. White's classicCharlotte's Web, and Joan Didion on John Cheever's Falconer.But the essays and interviews are just as enticing. Henry Bech interrogateshis creator, John Updike; Isaac Bashevis Singer catechizes Laurie Colwin ("Are you trying to convince me that I'm a big shot?"); and Philip Roth asksMilan Kundera the burning question, "What does sex mean to you as anovelist?"

But Books of the Century is not just a greatest hits. It's also apriceless compendium of misses and major mortifications. Applause towhoever decided to include numerous admissions of error under the hilariousheading "Oops!" No one should feel guilty for seeking these out first. Inthe TBR's early years, for instance, Bloomsbury was twice a whippingboy: E.M. Forster gets slammed for Howards End in 1911 and nineyears later Virginia Woolf's The Voyage Out has little "to make itstand out from the ruck of mediocre novels." And judging from the weakparody it's afforded, The Catcher in the Rye was not initially acritical darling: Salinger "should've cut out a lot about these jerks andall that crumby school." But what are we to make of the fact that as thedecades draw on, there seem fewer and fewer Oopses? Apparently theTimes Book Review is not just getting older, it's getting better. Inany case, by making us aware of the exhilarations of reading and thought,Books of the Century more than lives up to its subtitle.--KerryFried ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Much interesting stuff but disappointing
I find I have a special curiosity of seeing the way a book which is regarded as a classic today was initially reviewed. This anthology gives the reader many many opportunities to have that pleasure.Perhaps there is a certain joy in seeing the very great imperfection of reviewers. Perhaps there too is pleasure in knowing the true books can survive the worst reviews.
There is also I might add a great pleasure in seeing a masterpiece recognized and declared for what it is immediately.
Nonetheless despite these pleasures and the additional pleasure of being able to read and learn about all kinds of books manyof which I have not read there was for me disappointment in reading this book. I felt too many reviews were simply not substantial enough. I found too little reading that was truly inspiring .
I read through the book, tried to learn what I could from it but it contains nothing, so far as I can tell, that I really feel I long for or need.

Genres need not apply
This kind of work makes excellent reading. If you like it, I'd recommend a subscription to The Times (of London) Literary Supplment.A great review contain a micro-education about an entire field.

And here's a note for previous reviewer of this book:the terms "genre" and "literature" are considered by many to be mutually exclusive.Very little of science fiction is of literary quality.That's one reason you don't see much of it reviewed in the New York Times, or in this book.

More than Just Book Reviews...But Why?
As the turn of the century neared, I was looking for some great perspectives on literature in the 20th Century.I'm still looking.Outside of the Modern Library' list of the 100 best English Language books of the 20th Century, I haven't seen much.That's too bad because, for me, the literature of the last century is the best compared to all other centuries.One book that has been a good perspective on 20th Century Literature is "Books of the Century" compiled by the editors of the New York "Times" Book Review.They got a bit of a head start on the turn of the century because they were celebrating their 100 years of reviewing books; 100 years that began in 1896.What the editors put together is a chronological selection of their reviews over the years.Of course, most of the selections are from either titles or authors that are well known to most of us.It is interesting to read contemporary reviews of books many decades old.What bothered me as I read through this books is the repeated appearances of letters, essays, and interviews that seemed to me to take up space best reserved for more book reviews.I admit that I enjoyed some of the letters (especially William Manchester's on H.L. Mecken), interviews (especially with I.B. Singer in 1978), and essays (especially Marquez on Hemingway).However, the title of the book suggested a more focussed work.I found myself skimming more and more as I went on.The final 143 pages is a yearly synopsis of the editors' choice of the best books from 1972-1997.

I am glad That the editors put this book out and I am glad that I read it.However, I would have preferred a summation of the editor's choice of the best books from 1896-1997 rather than the synopsis that they gave of the last 26 years.

If you like books and book reviews, you'll love this!
If you like books (which I presume you do if you're hanging out on the Amazon.com website :)), and especially if you like book reviews (ditto!), you're going to LOVE this book.Gleaned from a century of New York Times book reviews (plus interviews and letters to the editor), "Books of the Century" gives us the some of the best in 20th century literature, as seen through the eyes of some great reviewers (e.g., WH Auden on Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings").I can't decide which is more entertaining and edifying -- reading a well-written review which really "nails" a book, or laughing over a ridiculous "panning" of what would turn out to be a great classic.

My only MAJOR criticism of this book is that it includes almost NO science fiction whatsoever.Besides being one of my personal favorite genres of literature, there are just some great all-around WRITERS missing here:Philip K. Dick, Olaf Stapledon, Alfred Bester, HG Wells, and many more.I mean, I can understand that "Books of the Century" wasn't thousands of pages long, and obviously couldn't include EVERYTHING, but leaving out an entire GENRE of literature?I seriously question the editors' judgment on this omission (and that's why I give "Books of the Century" four stars instead of five)!

Besides that problem, which can be solved by checking out David Pringle's "The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction," I strongly recommend "Books of the Century."The New York Times Book Review section is a national treasure, and this is a select sampling of that treasure.An excellent book for a lazy summer afternoon...enjoy!

A treasure trove for book lovers
Do you ever wonder how some of the most highly regarded and influential books of the century were reviewed when they were first released, without the benefit of hindsight? This book, a collection from the New York Times Book Review, gives you the answer. It's a tribute to the reviewers that they were often right on the money in their evaluations (like the reviews on "Ulysses", "The Grapes of Wrath", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", etc.). It's also kind of a hoot to read the "Oops!" reviews, where they dowgraded books like "Catch-22" and "Catcher in the Rye" when they first came out. There is a lot of fascinating reading here. I just wish it were more comprehensive, which may not be realistic on my part, since that would mean about a 10,000 page book. But for what this book sets out to do, it succeeds with flying colors.

I would suggest that all who are interested in obtaining this book put it in your "Shopping Cart" IMMEDIATELY, because if you come back later and put "Books of the Century" in the search engine, it will inexplicably bring up a bunch of books about architecture. HUHHH?? C'mon, Amazon, let's tweak that search engine a little here!! ... Read more

Product Description
For anyone who does research or is thinking about doing a research study, this book offers an invaluable tool for learning the techniques of researching, reviewing and analyzing research literature. Applying basic tenets of sound data gathering to a comprehensive synthesis of past research on a topic, Cooper leads the reader step-by-step through the five stage process integrating research reviewing -- from conceptualization of the research problem to the concise summary of the research review.

New to the second edition is coverage of computer literature searches, the theoretical underpinnings of meta-analysis, the application of these procedures, and new material on coding sheets. Written in a clear, straightforward manner, this text is appropriate for anyone who has taken an introductory research methods course.

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The #1 guide to the principles and clinical applications of evidence-based medicine has just gotten better!

A Doody's Core Title ESSENTIAL PURCHASE!

No other resourcehelps you to put key evidence-based medicine protocols into daily clinical practice better than Users' Guides to the Medical Literature.

Product Description
Scoring high on the AP English Literature Exam is very different from earning straight A’s in school. We don’t try to teach you everything there is to know about English literature—only the strategies and information you’ll need to get your highest score. In Cracking the AP English Literature Exam, we’ll teach you how to

·Ace the reading passage questions by using clues in the answer choices
·Conquer difficult poetry and prose passages by zeroing in on the main ideas
·Safeguard yourself against hidden traps
·Score higher by learning essential concepts from the glossary of literary terms

This book includes 2 full-length practice AP English Literature tests. All of our practice questions are just like those you’ll see on the actual exam, and we explain how to answer every question.

Cracking the AP English Literature Exam has been fully updated for the 2008 test. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent Seller
I received my item yesterday.This seller is one of the best and I'd buy from her again.Very fast service.I am very pleased!

An amazingly written review book that will hold your interest.
Let me start off by saying I am a big fan of the Princeton Review line of test prep books. I feel that their books are able to get across the most important topics for the tests in a concisely written way.

This book did not disappoint. There are five parts to the book, including an intro section, a multiple choice section, an essay section, a practice test section, and a glossary section.

My initial impressions: "Wow, this guy can write." I have never read a test prep book as interesting and well-written as this one. The author gets his point across, explains it in easy to understand terms, and adds a little humor into the mix.

The intro section basically breaks down the entire test, including the timing, types of multiple choice questions, and essay style.

Both the multiple choice sections and the essay sections make up the content of the book. Th multiple choice section provides good strategies and breaks down several long reading passages into small segments, each with questions, answers, and the thought process behind why that answer was correct. The essay section provided a few sample essays, and something especially helpful was the checklist of what to include in the essays, something the book calls the "Idea Machine."

As usual, two full length practice tests are included. Based on the actual test, I think the Princeton Review did a good job with theirs. The passages, questions, and essay topics were typical of an AP test.

One of the hidden gems of the review book is the glossary section. It consists of pretty much all the vocabulary needed to ace the test. For added emphasis, the author even stars the ones that are absolutely necessary to know. I particularly enjoyed the humorous definitions. I couldn't help but smile as I read over them, and I feel that the author's easy to understand writing style really helped me to remember the words.

Now for some of the cons. First off, this is one of the shortest review books I have used. It is probably about half the size of a typical review book for some other subject. I would have liked to see more practice problems as well-other than the two tests, there were only a handful of other multiple choice questions. And finally, the author should have expanded on the essay sections, with a some more tips or examples added in.

All in all, this is a great review book. If you are in an AP Lit class with a good teacher, then get this book as a supplement. It will refresh your memory in the weeks leading up to the test. However, if you are planning to self-study, or you have a bad teacher, then this book alone will not do the trick-you need to read a lot of the books and poems in the suggested reading list for the test. The Cracking the AP English Literature Exam Test Prep is a great conceptual book that explains important strategies to improve your score. I highly recommend this book.

Here's some added advice: All the test prep books out there supposedly come out with "new" editions every year. However, if the AP test itself is not revised (for example Chemistry in 2007,) then the review book will stay the SAME. Same content, same tests, everything. I suggest that you purchase the older editions of these books-nothing ancient, just up to a few years back, in order to save a lot of money. Remember to do some research on AP test updates if you are planning to do this! Hoped my review helped!

AP lit guide
i didn't believe this review gave me much more than what i already knew or any pointers i wouldn't of known from my previous years of ap testing. i recieved a 3 on the test which was rather disappointing. however, i do believe the princeton review does make the best AP test guides. despite my own independent study as well, i guess its better that the exam takers practice on their analytical skills which i believe is my downfall.

Good!
I didn't take an AP lit course; all I did was just read this book the night before and look over the literary terms. I got a 4, which is pretty decent considering my lack of preparation. So, I do have this book to thank!

Lots of tips and tricks
This book is probably a good choice if you struggle with literature especially what I've read so far in the multiple choice chapters.It gives you plenty of tips and tricks to answer multiple choice questions on the Lit Exam that some people know already but most don't think about.There is something for everyone taking the AP Lit Exam. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

excellent
This book arrived within a week of its release and it is for me best of the Paris Review interview series. ... Read more

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In this original collection, a number of today's finest writers introduce little-known treasures of literature that they count among their favorite books. Here Toni Morrison celebrates a great Guinean storyteller whose novel of mystical adventure and surprising revelation transforms our image of Africa, while Susan Sontag raises the curtain on a distant summer when three of the greatest poets of the twentieth century exchanged love letters like no others. Here, too, John Updike analyzes the rare art of an English comic genius, Jonathan Lethem considers a hard-boiled and heartbreaking story of prison life, and Michael Cunningham uncovers the secrets of what may well be the finest short novel in modern American literature. Other contributors include such noted authors as Arthur C. Danto, Lydia Davis, Elizabeth Hardwick, Francine Prose, Luc Sante, Colm Toibin, Eliot Weinberger, and James Wood. ... Read more

Product Description
People write literature reviews for many purposes. In this book, Paula Dawidowicz of Walden University presents a guide to producing quality literature reviews. The book focuses on practical aspects of writing other texts dont cover surrounding limiting topics; identifying appropriate resources; organizing resources; and planning, organizing, and presenting findings. Using lists of questions, charts, and tables, it presents examples of wording and presentation for functions like analyses, comparisons, and contrasts. Finally, its reader-friendly information is presented in short, easily digestible segments followed by exercises and activities to help users understand and incorporate the information and techniques provided. Designed as a textbook, this book is a must use for both individuals and classes! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

fine collection...suggestion for isaac singer fans
This is a fine collection, but if it is Isaac Bashevis Singer you are interested in, you'll do much better to get the book I've linked to below. The best is to read both the PR interview plus the Burgin book but the Burgin book is, of course, more in-depth and contains a wealth of info for writers as well as readers.


CONVERSATIONS WITH ISAAC BASHEVIS SINGER

Conversations With Isaac Bashevis Singer

Superior Collection, but if you have to choose between vol 2 and vol 1...
The best way to enjoy this book is to not read it straight out. It's best to use it as a break from a novel perhaps (I used this as a respite from reading the very long Buffett biography), or treat it as a book you go back to from time to time, a couple of days gap. If you read any three interviews in succession, you will feel bored and numbed by guidance and 'quotable quotes' about writing, and probably fail to appreciate the nuanced points about the writer's craft being discussed.

That being said, the best piece is still the one with Faulkner, then Garcia Marquez, then Bloom. The pieces on Thurber and King are also great reads

If youre deciding between vol. 1 and vol 2. Volume 1 is a better choice, by a few points. (I havent read Part III yet). Why? For one the amazing interview with Borges is there. And then the variety on the discussion regarding the "Art of Editing" (with Gottlieb and the superb writers he had edited works of), the poetry/poverty/adventure of Cain, annoyed tips of Hemingway, etcetera are all priceless.

Author House
The introduction is by Orhan Pamuk.Faulkner said an artist is a creature driven by demons.Graham Greene did not believe that any books he had read as an adult influenced him as a writer.James Thurber got his habits of memory, (nearly perfect recollection),from his mother.Thurber believed that Harold Ross had had a bloodhound instinct as an editor.

American writers felttheir creativity and inventiveness would end in their fifties.Faulkner felt a writer's responsibility was to do his art.The writer should be ruthless.A writer always has to compromise when writing for the movies Faulkner believed.

Robert Lowell felt that teaching meant a lot to him as a human being.A person can't write poetry all the time.Writing comes from a deep impulse, deep inspiration.It isn't a craft.While he was writing LIFE STUDIES Lowell figured out it was a regular beat that he disliked.Lowell thought of Frost and Eliot as New England poets.In both Chekhov and Frost the art was found in the well-chosen plots.

To Eudora Welty, Jane Austen was a kindred spirit.She felt even closer to Chekhov for reason of his appreciation of the individual.She lost sleep over reading TO THE LIGHTHOUSE.Katherine Anne Porter was wonderfully generous to her in the beginning.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez believes that journalism and fiction writing are matters of cross-fertilization.He never gets involved with a book unless someone recommends it.Philip Larkin refused almost all invitations to be a bigwig.He claimed that in writing a poem he constructed a verbal device.Larkin said he dealt with the passage of time by making every day the same.When young he exchanged unpublished poems with Kingsley Amis.

James Baldwin did not so much choose France as carry out the need to leave America.The painter Beauford Delaney taught Baldwin how to see.Baldwin believed that he had to go through a time of isolation.He wrote four novels before he published one.

William Gaddis had a reputation as a recluse.He thought he learned economy from Evelyn Waugh and that this is apparent in his novel, JR.Alice Munro lives in Clinton, Ontario.Her family lived in a collapsing enterprise, a fox and mink farm.Alice Munro and her second husband stayed in Ontario to be near older family members. When they passed on, Munro and her husband remained.

Information about the contributorsappears at the end of this excellent book.

understanding the writing and behind, the thinking
5 stars for that incredible initiative of showing the way writers are writing, and behind this, thinking the stories, the personnages...
i have to say, that is a source of inspiration and of understanding of your own style/way of writing
something to really have on your shelves !!!

... Read more

Product Description
Scoring high on the AP English Literature Exam is very different from earning straight A’s in school. We don’t try to teach you everything there is to know about English literature–only the strategies and information you’ll need to get your highest score. In Cracking the AP English Literature Exam, we’ll teach you how to

·Ace the reading passage questions by using clues in the answer choices
·Conquer difficult poetry and prose passages by zeroing in on the main ideas
·Safeguard yourself against hidden traps
·Score higher by learning essential concepts from the glossary of literary terms

This book includes 2 full-length practice AP English Literature tests. All of our practice questions are just like those you’ll see on the actual exam, and we explain how to answer every question. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

GREAT!!
The book came quickly and in great condition. It is a great aid for the AP test.

Great Test Prep
I took the AP Literature exam last May using this book as my main resource. My school does not offer a class for this test, so I was pretty much on my own. This book was an enormously helpful resource that gave me all the information I needed in a concise and amusing manner. I received a 5 on my exam, so obviously the advice was helpful. Buying an older edition helped to save money and I have found Princeton Review to be a consistently solid help in preparing for exams. Highly recommended! ... Read more

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The most complete collection of Poe's critical writings ever published, revealing his wit, uncompromising candor, and breadth of knowledge. Contains all his major writings on poetry, fiction, and the duties of a critic, along with his reviews of writers both known and unknown, and finally, his articles on a wealth of subjects, including South Sea exploration, geography, music, drama, cryptography, ancient languages, and modern critics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Once owned, it is indispensable
I'll confess that I am only about 200 pages into this very lengthy book (but have skipped ahead occasionally to find his reviews of favorite authors), but I can say without hesitation that those pages alone have been worth the price. And with every paragraph I actually wish the book were longer. Anyone who truly appreciates the depth and soul of Poe's fiction and poetry, and the tragic life behind their creation, could not help but relish the man's words on any subject. Poe biographies are fine, but nothing can touch his own voice. His reviews of well-known writers like Hawthorne, Coleridge and Longfellow, among so many others, are gems of knowledge, humor and biting honesty that may surprise those who have as yet only been held in cherished suspense by his fiction. And his critiques of lesser known authors will probably serve to make a curious reader search out their work, even when he brutalizes it, as he often does! This book is a huge body of Poe's non-fiction, and the writing proves captivating, irreverently witty and beyond impressive in its scholarship.Above all, it shows the man as undeniably brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

This book is essential for any serious study of poe.
I highly recommend this book!It is Poe in his own words.This book is a brilliant answer to many off-the-wall interpretations of his theories and life.This book is essential to any serious study of Poe, and certainlyfor any journalist or writer who wants to read a master at work!Poe wasnot just a fiction writer.He was the first artist as critic in America'shistory.This book will allow you to see Poe as a man. ... Read more

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Nominee for the National Book Award, this collection of literarycriticism considers the careers of women writers as well as therepresentation of women in literature. Included are essays on the workof Virginia Woolf, the Brontes, and Sylvia Plath. [Hardwick's] superbwriting is a rare gift to the reader. ... Read more

Product Description
An important anthology, the first to trace the evolution of child drama across the last one hundred years in dramatic works and commentary.

Dr. Roger L. Bedard, noted theorist and historian of theatre for young audiences, has updated this classic anthology to offer contemporary perspectives on the growth and development in the field through the twentieth century. Building on the First Edition, published in 1984, Dr. Bedard has selected several new plays and contributed new commentary, including an historical overview which considers the field in the contest of wider social and cultural issues. This Second Edition also includes a bibliography of anthologies of plays for young audiences compiled by Katherine Krzys, Curator of the Child Drama Collection at Arizona State University.

The plays included are: The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Birthday of the Infanta by Stuart Walker, The Ghost of Mr. Penny by Rosemary Musil, Rumpelstiltskin by Charlotte Chorpenning, Reynard the Fox by Arthur Fauquez, Androcles and the Lion by Aurand Harris, The Ice Wolf by Joanna Halpert Kraus, Step on a Crack by Suzan L. Zeder, The Arkansaw Bear by Aurand Harris, Jack and the Wonder Beans by Larry Snipes, The Yellow Boat by David Saar, Tomato Plant Girl by Wesley Middleton, Highest Heaven by José Cruz González, The Wrestling Season by Laurie Brooks. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on October 1, 2003. The length of the article is 488 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Beat Generation: Critical Essays.(Book Review)
Author: George Economou
Publication: World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: October 1, 2003
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: 77Issue: 3-4Page: 100(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more