A Little History of Literature (Little Histories)

“As a guidebook, it’s a cracker. What Sutherland has to offer is formidable breadth of reading, a generous spirit and a rebounding enthusiasm for his subject.”—Sam Leith, Spectator
(Sam Leith Spectator 2013-11-16)

‘Written in prose that is clear and free from the diktat of theory and criticism, A Little History of Literature is an enjoyable account of a lifelong involvement with literature.’—John Vukmirovich, Times Literary Supplement (John Vukmirovich Times Literary Supplement)

‘A Little History of Literature, which begins with Beowulf and ends with bestsellers, is primarily a guide for teenagers, and John Sutherland brings to the vast and unruly subject some order, clarity and commonsense.’—Frances Wilson, New Statesman (Frances Wilson New Statesman 2013-11-15)

‘I suspect that an expert like John Sutherland could have written this highly entertaining and informative history without recourse to any research at all, having it pretty much at his fingertips; and it reads extremely well, as though he is simply having a chat with us about literature and why it matters.’—Lesley McDowell, Independent on Sunday (Lesley McDowell Independent on Sunday 2014-08-17)

Praise for John Sutherland: ‘John Sutherland is among the handful of critics whose every book I must have. He’s sharp-eyed and sharp-tongued, with a generous heart and a wise head.’—Jay Parini (Jay Parini)

“This slim book makes for a necessarily cursory review of literature’s greats – and the loving treatment by an expert . . . will please both novices and established readers looking to dip back into well-loved works.”—Shelf Awareness (Shelf Awareness)

“A genial, enthusiastic guide leads a jaunt through literary history. . . . [Sutherland’s] aim is not to draw a line between high art and low, but to share his prodigious joy of reading.”—Kirkus Reviews (Kirkus Reviews)