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Masterpieces of World Literature
Philosophy and fantasy, plays and poems, essays and epics -- 270 literary classics that range from The Divine Comedy and Death Comes for the Archbishop to The Aeneid and The Grapes of Wrath are summarized and analyzed in this essential reference.
992 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1951
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About the author
Frank N. Magill
473 books8 followersDr. Frank Northen Magill (1907-1997) was a writer and editor of distinguished reference works for over forty years.
Magill also founded the Salem Press in 1949. Magill’s expertise became so recognizable in the hundreds of volumes of reference works published by Salem Press that librarians sometimes referred to the publications as “Magill books.”
Born in Smyrna, Ga., Magill earned an undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech and a master’s degree in engineering at Columbia University. He began working as an engineer, then served as a major in the Army Air Corps during World War II. While stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, Magill read widely and conceived of a book that he titled “Masterplots.” That was the first book to be published by Salem Press, in 1949.
Eventually the company branched into history, humanities, social science and sciences. Operating offices in New York and Los Angeles, Magill earned a doctorate and taught a popular reference course at USC.
Magill also founded the Salem Press in 1949. Magill’s expertise became so recognizable in the hundreds of volumes of reference works published by Salem Press that librarians sometimes referred to the publications as “Magill books.”
Born in Smyrna, Ga., Magill earned an undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech and a master’s degree in engineering at Columbia University. He began working as an engineer, then served as a major in the Army Air Corps during World War II. While stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, Magill read widely and conceived of a book that he titled “Masterplots.” That was the first book to be published by Salem Press, in 1949.
Eventually the company branched into history, humanities, social science and sciences. Operating offices in New York and Los Angeles, Magill earned a doctorate and taught a popular reference course at USC.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 21, 2020
Great reference book. Eventually I would love to have read all of those masterpieces present in this volume. I already have a bunch under my belt and some others on my TBR so that's good. There was also some that I never heard about and so I will have to look them up. Each works is well presented with the author, of course, the genre, the year of publishing, a description of the main characters, the plot and the critical evaluation. Not the most visually stunning book, it's old, it looks old, but still useful if you want to read your classic and need some help to gather them or maybe want tot look deeper to see what is best for you to start with. Well done and useful!
September 18, 2019
This is volume 2 contains works by title: Barc-Chan.
It you cannot read all the great literature of the world, or would like to become familiar with the great literature out there, this encyclopedia is a great place to start. This is not the updated version, but the one published in the forties or fifties.
It provides a synopsis, an analysis and a basic narration of the story.
Some of the books I read. Some I would like to read. And some, I am satisfied with reading the short narrative this encyclopedia provides.
It you cannot read all the great literature of the world, or would like to become familiar with the great literature out there, this encyclopedia is a great place to start. This is not the updated version, but the one published in the forties or fifties.
It provides a synopsis, an analysis and a basic narration of the story.
Some of the books I read. Some I would like to read. And some, I am satisfied with reading the short narrative this encyclopedia provides.
June 13, 2009
Ah Man!!! This book ROCKS!!! It contains alot of the classics. It is basically a huge books of cliff notes.
It gives you
Type of Work
Author
Type of plot
Locale
First published
Principle Characters: Who they are, what they are, their place in the storyline.
The Story---condensed
AND
The Critical Evaluation
Granted you may need to read this book with a dictionary (I usually pack one around with me), because it uses a lot of words that are out of circulation. But it is very enlightening. I have picked several books based on the critical evaluation alone. Some books I picked to read were based on the storyline itself. Most of the books listed I just reviewed Mr. Magill's viewpoint since I had already read them. I wanted to see if his depiction of the story aligned with mine.
I recommend this reference book to anyone wanting to know more about a classic story prior to reading it. It will not disappoint.
It gives you
Type of Work
Author
Type of plot
Locale
First published
Principle Characters: Who they are, what they are, their place in the storyline.
The Story---condensed
AND
The Critical Evaluation
Granted you may need to read this book with a dictionary (I usually pack one around with me), because it uses a lot of words that are out of circulation. But it is very enlightening. I have picked several books based on the critical evaluation alone. Some books I picked to read were based on the storyline itself. Most of the books listed I just reviewed Mr. Magill's viewpoint since I had already read them. I wanted to see if his depiction of the story aligned with mine.
I recommend this reference book to anyone wanting to know more about a classic story prior to reading it. It will not disappoint.
March 11, 2008
a good reference book
September 1, 2016
I have an old 1952 copy of this book that my grandmother gave me in 1979, and I read it cover to cover and used it as a reading list which I am still working my way through.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews