George Benjamin Woods (1878–1958)

This volume, second in the series about the literature of England, begins with “The Approach to Romanticism” in 1760, and then moves on to “The Romantic Triumph in Poetry,” “Romantic Prose,” “Victorian Prose,” “Victorian Poetry,” “Fading Traditions and New Patterns: 1880-1914,” and ends with “Conflict and Change: 1914-1966.” Each section features extensive background notes as well as notes on individual authors. The works selected have a number of annotations.

The selections are quite extensive and represent the best and most popular works of most of the authors. In the case of longer works, passages have been excerpted for inclusion.

I have spent many hours of enjoyment reading through this book, which of course one can pick up at any point. I especially liked that it ended, appropriately, it seemed to me, with the poem by Dylan Thomas, “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night.”… (meer)