Discovering British Literature in Bits and Bytes

Carolyn M. Johnson is author of reference and text books including Discovering Nature with Young People, Using Internet Sources to Teach Critical Thinking Skills in the Sciences, plus magazine articles and poems. She has MLS (Library and Information Science) and MA (English and American Literature) degrees from St. John’s University, Queens, NY, a BA (English Literature) from Hunter College, NYC, AA (Liberal Arts) from Queensborough Community College, Queens, NY; worked as graduate student assistant in LIS Division at St. John’s University, library assistant at QCC library, and librarian at NY Botanical Garden Library and Pace University Library.

• Dedication Preface Introduction Section 1: Anglo Saxon Literature Chapter 1: Metrical Charms and Runic PoemsChapter 2: Old English and Early Middle English VerseChapter 3: Colloquy Chapter 4: A Letter on the Advancement of LearningChapter 5: Riddles from The Exeter Book (970-1042) by Anonymous Chapter 6:Selections from The Exeter BookSection 2: Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Centuries – PoetryChapter 7: Selections from The Canterbury Tales Chapter 8: Selections from The Fairie Queene Section 3: Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries – Drama Chapter 9: Selections from Shakespeare’s Plays – The ComediesChapter 10: Selections from Shakespeare’s Plays – The Histories Chapter 11: Selections from Shakespeare’s Plays – The TragediesSection 4: Seventeenth Century – Poetry Chapter 12: Excerpts from The Passionate Pilgrim, Sonnets To Sundry Notes Of Music, The Phoenix and The Turtle [Dove]Chapter 13: Sonnets plus Dramatic Poetry by William Shakespeare Chapter 14: Various Writings by John DonneChapter 15: Poetry by John Donne Section 5: Seventeenth Century – ProseChapter 16: No Man is An Island, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and other writingsChapter 17: Juvenilia, or Certaine Paradoxes and Problemes by John Donne Section 6: Eighteenth Century – Miscellaneous Chapter 18: A Preface To A Dictionary of The English Language, The Rambler, Idler, and Adventurer EssaysConclusion About the Author APPENDIX 1: A link to the online appendixAPPENDIX 2 Online – RECOMMENDED RESEARCH RESOURCES

In a day when ‘study’ is often reduced to browsing a few general websites and calling it done, it is good to find such a thorough yet usable introduction to English literature. Teachers will find much with which to stimulate student interest, and students will be introduced to the wealth of written material residing in books on library shelves. Modern writing (think J. K. Rowling) builds upon older writings (Jane Austen et al) and students, particularly aspiring authors, will do well to ponder the broad range of resources residing on paper in libraries. This series provides 'tastes' of many different types of literature and students' interest will be stimulated through questions requiring critical thinking.