This is a book 'one turns to with constant pleasure' (TLS). The classic guide to English literature, fully updated and revised for this paperback new edition. Based on the best-selling Oxford Companion to English Literature, this is an indispensable, compact guide to all aspects of English literature. Written by a team of more than 140 distinguished contributors working under Margaret Drabble's editorial direction, this handy reference work provides the reader with unrivalled coverage of writers, works, historical context, literary theory, allusions, characters, and plot summaries. Extensively updated and expanded for this new edition, this book provides essential reading for readers. New entries on modern authors such as Jim Crace and Ben Elton have been added, alongside new entries on topics such as travel writing and Anglo-Indian literature. Over 5,500 entries provide a wide coverage, including entries on the literature of other countries. The fully-updated appendices list literary prize-winners, including the Nobel, Man Booker prize, and Pulitzer prizes.