Historical Dictionary of Romanticism in Literature

Paul Varner serves as the Scholar in Residence for the English Department at Abilene Christian University. He has published three other volumes in this series from Rowman and Littlefield, Historical Dictionary of Westerns in Cinema (2008), Historical Dictionary of Westerns in Literature (2010), and Historical Dictionary of the Beat Movement (2012).

• Editor’s Foreword, Jon WoronoffPreface ChronologyIntroductionTHE DICTIONARYBibliographyAbout the Author

Varner, author of several previous historical dictionaries focusing on American literary genres, takes a broad chronological view of and an international approach to his topic of Romanticism in literature. With an informative introduction, a detailed chronology, and an extensive bibliography, Varner whets readers' appetites for more detail. The British Romantics receive the most space, but Varner does not neglect German, American, French, Spanish, and Russian writers. His dictionary reflects a wider range of writers than the anthologies of 30 or 40 years ago. Women are well represented and given significant coverage as are some lesser-known Continental and British male writers, making this dictionary a source for discovery as well as reinforcement. Students would do well to have this volume at hand while studying, so it seems fitting that it should circulate rather than be confined to reference shelves. Ample cross-references mean that one can follow a satisfying and informative path through the book without regard for the alphabetical arrangement. In sum, this is an excellent introduction for novices and a handy reference for more experienced scholars. Summing Up: Recommended. Undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers.