In this short guide John Sutherland and Jolyon Connell draw on the leading critics of 'Great Expectations' to offer a compelling and incisive interpretation of the novel. Entertaining and accessible, it is essential reading for both students of literature and anyone interested in Dickens's vision of the world.

An incisive, entertaining analysis of one of the greatest romantic novels in the English language - one which challenged 19th century stereotypes at every turn.

This concise, easy-to-read guide shows that Fitzgerald's haunting tale of lost love and deferred dreams is a timeless moral fable, and one which taps deeply into the American psyche. John Sutherland and Jolyon Connell offer their own incisive and compelling interpretation.

"Shakespeare and Milton were the greatest sons of their country," said G.K. Chesterton, "but Chaucer was the father of his country." The Canterbury Tales have sometimes been thought dry, even intimidating, of little relevance to the modern world. Nothing could be further from the truth, argues the distinguished literary critic Stephen Fender.

In this short and informative guide, Josie Billington shows why 'Middlemarch' is such an extraordinary achievement and why it is so special.

Within two years of its publication in 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird had been translated into ten languages, won the Pulitzer Prize, emerged as an Oscar-winning film and spent 88 weeks on the American bestseller lists. Stephen Fender explains the basis of its enduring appeal.

Emma is seen as one of Jane Austen's greatest novels. In telling the story of how Emma finally comes to know her own heart, Austen creates a world which seems as intense and as real as the one we inhabit.

Janet Todd draws on a wide range of critical opinions about the novel 'Pride and Prejudice', arguing that not only is Elizabeth Bennet one of literature's most engaging heroines but that, in her portrait of Mr Darcy, Austen comes as near to representing sexual infatuation as she could within the conventions of time.