Ways of Reading is a well-established core textbook that provides the reader with the tools to analyze and interpret the meanings of literary and non-literary texts. Six sections, split into self-contained units with their own activities and notes for further reading, This third edition has been redesigned and updated throughout with many fresh examples and exercises, updated further reading suggestions and new material on electronic sources and the Internet, language and power, and drama.
Martin Montgomery is Emeritus Professor of Literary Linguistics at the University of Macau, China, where he was formerly Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and Head of the Departments of English and of Communication. He is also Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde, UK, where he served as Head of the Department of English Studies and Director of the Scottish Centre for Journalism Studies.
It was an all right book, nothing exceptional. I did learn a few things, though, or remembered some things that I learned in high school (I haven't studied poetry since 9th or 10th grade). The most interesting chapter, that was completely new to me, was Language and Gender, because it tackled feminist issues as well. I also liked the chapter on film.
Read this for my English literature translator- program's entrance exams and it wasn't easy because although I've read English,spoke English and written English half of my life, I still couldn't understand some points of the text due to unknown words that I've never heard before. But, I just googled the words through online translators and then underlined bits of important text so it went into my head easier. I liked the book anyway, it was interesting.
A range of ideas(accumulated by varied reading of texts by author) in one short handbook. Basic and yet quite diverse. As the name suggests It teaches - how to read Setting/language/narrative/metaphors/intertextuality/drama/films/novels etc
Decent whistle-stop tour of some themes in the study of literature -- fiction and poetry. The short chapters made this readable, though obviously only the bare bones of each topic were presented. I could have done without the references to story-telling in film.