Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing (11th Edition)

Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing (11th Edition) ISBN 9780205698813 by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia not only provides insightful commentary on the art of the written work, but also encourages students to create and write their own. The book is ideal for entry-level writing majors and anyone who is interested in improving their creative writing skills. It strikes up a perfect balance of text and examples, fully explaining why certain works of literature are superior while giving students concrete example they can use as benchmarks in creating their own work. Kennedy and Gioia starts the book of with a discussion on how to read a story, types of short fiction, and the art of fiction. It then moves on to plots, characters, settings, tone and style, themes, and symbols. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing (11th Edition) covers reading long stories and novels, Latin American fiction, poems, imagery, sound, and rhythm. There are plenty of examples and readings to help students grasp different concepts of writing, including John Updike's A & P, Kate Chopin's the Storm, Ernest Hemingway's A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, Shirley Jackson's the Lottery, William Shakespeare's Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez's A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings. Some of the chapters provide review and writing assignments to help sharpen writing skills. This comprehensive anthology is an excellent reference for writing classes. It allows students to become more open to different genres.