An introductory student guide to the novel in the twentieth century, this text gives the student a socio-historic context against which to assess the modern, post-modern and contemporary novel.
A good book, finally, that can be used as the foundation for learning the 20th-century literature, the novels. Indian students do not get the study materials very easily when it comes to studying the modern, post-modern and contemporary fiction. It will prove to be a good book.
Excellent book to use as a general overview in theory; it's not too expensive and provides a very nice "history" of the modernist and postmodernist traditions, along with different modes of criticism.
Text does get a bit too far into listing dates, authors, and titles at times, when more of an in-depth description of ideas would be better.
It could also be broken down / organized in a more student-friendly way.
If you're an English major or if you plan on studying modern literature at any point than this book is enormously helpful. I've had these concepts explained repeatedly by professors, but this goes deeper with more clarity, good examples, and solid historical connections. It has the additional benefit of not being dry literary criticism. If I'd had this as a freshman my life would have been ten times easier.
Our words change when we write and the first hundred years (1900-1999) were no exception. It's funny to think how we have impressionist painters and abstract sculptors when mere words can take us on the same kind of journey. This book is a great read and he is a great man.