Dictionary of Literary Influences: The Twentieth Century, 1914-2000

(Hardback)

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Description

Treating the cultural giants of the 20th century, this volume traces their reading habits and intellectual development, as well as their contributions to Western culture. Suggesting the literary influences on these figures, the book includes 355 entries on people from a broad range of fields, including scientists, politicians, business figures, writers, religious leaders, and figures from the performing arts and popular culture. The volume is a handy companion to Powell's earlier volume, Biographical Dictionary of Literary Influences: The Nineteenth Century, 1800-1914. Reflecting non-Western influences on Western culture, the volume includes such Asian and African figures as Mohandas Gandhi and Wole Soyinka, while also covering the significant Western figures. As the volume recognizes, forms of cultural influence evolved in the 20th century to include more aural and visual influences. Yet the volume still reveals fascinating literary influences throughout the century.

Reviews

"This superb book has arrived at just the right time to help those students lost in the increasingly complex (if not exasperating) and tumultuous textual maze of the twenty-first century....[a] pleasure to read and a superb, if not vital, resource for student, scholar and general reader alike."-ENGLISH The Journal of the English Association
[T]he cumulative effect of individual profiles is fascinating....Recommended. Academic and large public libraries.-Choice
[T]he text is well-researched and engaging. Students and researchers will find the bibliography extremely useful. That, combined with the unique subject matter, deems this book an essential addition to academic and research libraries.-Reference & User Services Quarterly
[U]seful for interdisciplinary studies or research becuase it combines a subject's literary history with biographical information. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries.-Library Journal
This superb book has arrived at just the right time to help those students lost in the increasingly complex (if not exasperating) and tumultuous textual maze of the twenty-first century....[a] pleasure to read and a superb, if not vital, resource for student, scholar and general reader alike.-ENGLISH The Journal of the English Association
"The cumulative effect of individual profiles is fascinating....Recommended. Academic and large public libraries."-Choice
"The text is well-researched and engaging. Students and researchers will find the bibliography extremely useful. That, combined with the unique subject matter, deems this book an essential addition to academic and research libraries."-Reference & User Services Quarterly
"Useful for interdisciplinary studies or research becuase it combines a subject's literary history with biographical information. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries."-Library Journal
"[T]he cumulative effect of individual profiles is fascinating....Recommended. Academic and large public libraries."-Choice
"[T]he text is well-researched and engaging. Students and researchers will find the bibliography extremely useful. That, combined with the unique subject matter, deems this book an essential addition to academic and research libraries."-Reference & User Services Quarterly
"[U]seful for interdisciplinary studies or research becuase it combines a subject's literary history with biographical information. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries."-Library Journal

Author Bio

JOHN POWELL is Associate Professor of History at Cumberland College. In addition to the companion volume, Dictionary of Literary Influences: The Nineteenth Century, 1800-1914 (2001), he most recently published an article on the Third Marquess of Lansdowne in a special issue of Parliamentary History (2003).