Historical Dictionary of French Literature

John Flower who is now emeritus spent a long and fruitful career as professor of French at the University of Kent and previously the University of Exeter, ever since 1976. He has published widely on French literature, with a focus on Francois Mauriac, on whom he is an international authority. He has published numerous articles and several books, the most recent of which is Francois Mauriac, journaliste. He is an Officier des Palmes académiques.

This title provides historical literary information covering 842 CE (when the Strasbourg Oaths were written) to 2012. Flower (emer., Univ. of Kent, UK) focuses solely on literature written and published in France. Francophone literature from other areas of the globe is not covered, though some authors, such as Belgium's Georges Simenon and Senegal's Ousmane Sembène, made the cut. The alphabetically arranged entries include brief author biographies, synopses of major literary works, significant French historical events (the 1789 revolution, the Dreyfus Affair, May 1968, the two world wars, and the Algerian wars), literary definitions, themes, and other relevant terms. Entries also provide hundreds of boldface cross-references. This dictionary examines a variety of literary genres, ranging from comic strips to poetry and drama. It also features entries related to now-defunct French literary magazines and publishing houses. Feminist writers such as Hélene Cixous and Monique Wittig appear in these pages as well. A chronology, an introduction that presents a brief overview of the subject, and an extensive bibliography for particular authors and eras complete this title. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Research libraries that support the study of French literature and history; lower-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty.