Pat Barker's Regeneration: A Reader's Guide

Continuum Contemporaries

by Karin E. Westman

Continuum Contemporaries will be a wonderful source of ideas and inspiration for members of book clubs and readings groups, as well as for literature students.The aim of the series is to give readers accessible and informative introductions to 30 of the most popular, most acclaimed, and most influential novels of recent years. A team of contemporary fiction scholars from both sides of the Atlantic has been assembled to provide a thorough and readable analysis of each of the novels in question. The books in the series will all follow the same structure:a biography of the novelist, including other works, influences, and, in some cases, an interview; a full-length study of the novel, drawing out the most important themes and ideas; a summary of how the novel was received upon publication; a summary of how the novel has performed since publication, including film or TV adaptations, literary prizes, etc.; a wide range of suggestions for further reading, including websites and discussion forums; and a list of questions for reading groups to discuss.

Genres: Literary Criticism

96 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2001

About the author

Karin E. Westman is a professor and the head of the Department of English at Kansas State University. Her academic work focuses on literature and cultural studies, with particular attention to contemporary fiction and children's literature.

Reviews

[Mary Ronan Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lit crit. This slim book provides the reader of Pat Barker's trilogy of WW I Regeneration books with background on the author, a history of the reception of the book, and some insight into the characters. It seems pretty clear that Barker intended W H R Rivers to be the hero of her books and not Siegfried Sassoon, although he and other play important parts in the story.

[Carol Scully · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent piece of anti war literature. I read it almost 20 years ago when it was first published. It was just as fresh and stirring the second time around.

[Ciara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helped me in my English AS Level coursework.