The Cambridge Introduction to the Short Story in English

Cambridge Introductions to Literature

by Adrian Hunter

The short story has become an increasingly important genre since the mid-nineteenth century. Complementing The Cambridge Introduction to the American Short Story, this 2007 book examines the development of the short story in Britain and other English-language literatures. It considers issues of form and style alongside - and often as part of - a broader discussion of publishing history and the cultural contexts in which the short story has flourished and continues to flourish. In its structure the book provides a chronological survey of the form, usefully grouping writers to show the development of the genre over time. Starting with Dickens and Kipling, the chapters cover key authors from the past two centuries and up to the present day. The focus on form, literary history, and cultural context, together with the highlighting of the greatest short stories and their authors, make this a stimulating and informative overview for all students of English literature.

Genres: Nonfiction

212 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2007

About the author

Dr. Adrian Hunter is Senior Lecturer in English Studies at Stirling University in Scotland.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Roya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, here's the truth: I hate this book mainly because I had to read it as assigned reading for some hack of a professor. Sorry Hunter guy.

[Camila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author writes that Elizabeth Bowen's introduction to the Faber collection is a masterpiece of literary criticism, but in his book she has to share the space with V. S. Pritchett instead of having a whole chapter for herself.