The Fantasy Literature of England [Hardcover]

In this, the first book on English fantasy, Colin Manlove shows that for all its immense diversity, English Fantasy can best be understood in terms of its strong national character, rather than as an international genre. Showing its development from Beowulf to Blake, the author describes English Fantasy's modern growth through secondary world, metaphysical, emotive, comic, subversive and children's fantasy. In them all England has led the world, with authors as different as Chaucer, Lewis Carroll, J.R.R. Tolkien and Salman Rushdie.Preface Introduction The Origins of English Fantasy Secondary World Fantasy Metaphysical Fantasy Emotive Fantasy Comic Fantasy Subversive Fantasy Children's Fantasy Conclusion Notes Index

'...this volume's concentrated overviews, especially of children's books, constitute an excellent introduction to both fantasy and his more detailed studies.' - R.E. Jones, Choice

'...an important resource for other scholars who are interested in exploring the detailed and theoretically nuanced answers...' - Mavis Reimer, The Lion and the Unicorn

COLIN MANLOVE is writer and formerly Reader in English Literature, University of Edinburgh. This will be his twelfth book and his ninth on fantasy literature, His previous books include Christian Fantasy: From 1200 to the Present, The Impulse of Fantasy Literature and Scottish Fantasy Literature: A Critical Survey.