The Longman Anthology of British Literature is the most
comprehensive and thoughtfully arranged text in the field, offering a
rich selection of compelling British authors through the ages.
With its first edition, The Longman Anthology of British Literature
created a new paradigm for anthologies. Responding to major shifts in
literary studies over the past thirty years, it was the first collection
to pay sustained attention to the contexts within which literature is
produced, even as it broadened the scope of that literature to embrace
the full cultural diversity of the British Isles. Within its pages,
canonical authors mingle with newly visible writers; English accents are
heard next to Anglo-Norman, Welsh, Gaelic, and Scottish ones; female and
male voices are set in dialogue; literature from the British Isles is
integrated with post-colonial writing; and major works are illumined by
clusters of shorter texts that bring literary, social, and historical
issues vividly to life.
The Fifth Edition builds on the pioneering features of the previous four
editions, expanding the strong core of frequently taught works while
continuing to lead the way in responding to the shifting interests of
the discipline.