"This is an indispensable and compact guide to all aspects of English literature. It provides unrivalled coverage of the lives and works of novelists, poets, and playwrights, as well as characters, plot summaries, literary movements, and criticism. Ideal for students and for anyone interested in literature." "Features: over 5,500 entries, fully revised and updated; covers world fiction, literary theory, historical context, and allusions; new entries include Monica Ali, Dave Eggers, and Philip Pullman, with new highlighted entries on short stories and metre; and new features include a historical timeline charting the development of literature through the ages."--BOOK JACKET.