Critical Insights: Barbara Kingsolver

April 1, 2010
Gr 10 Up-Students who need a range of critical material in one source will find it here. Entries open with a biographical piece, followed by a "Critical Contexts" section that provides three essays on the influence of the author's works or discussions on such topics as the cultural context that shaped his or her writings. The bulk of the material, though, consists of previously published essays and articles that focus on specific works or themes. For instance, "Ernest Hemingway" features an article entitled "The Personal Stories: Paris and Provence, 19261927" by Hilary Justice that appeared in one of her books. The volumes also feature an original entry by a writer from the literary journal "Paris Review". The essays are accompanied by endnotes, and general bibliographies offer plenty of material for further research. The indexes are somewhat paltry and cross-references are only useful in the case of titles that were translated into English. Overall, though, the quality of the articlesnew and oldis impressive."Carol Fazioli, Gwynedd-Mercy College, Gwynedd Valley, PA"

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