Gillian Beer Books

Virginia Woolf wanted to write about the vast unknown uncertain continent that is the world and us in it' Jeanette Winterson, from her introduction to The Waves The Waves is an astonishingly beautiful and poetic novel. It begins with six children playing in a garden by the sea and follows their lives as they grow up and experience friendship, love and grief at the death of their beloved friend Percival. Weaving together soliloquies from the novel's six characters, Woolf delicately and expertly explores universal concepts such as individuality, the self, and community. A novel still as poignant today as it was when written. Regarded by many as her greatest work, The Waves is also seen as Virginia Woolf's response to the loss of her brother Thoby, who died when he was twenty-six.

The third edition of this classic study includes a new essay that enriches the existing content, along with an updated bibliography that provides readers with the latest resources and references. This edition enhances the original work, making it a valuable resource for both new and returning readers interested in the subject matter.

Focusing on the evolution of fiction and long narratives, this analysis weaves together insights from various historical periods and contemporary narrative theory. Gillian Beer examines the works of notable writers, including Thomas Carlyle, Philip Sidney, Samuel Richardson, and George Eliot, highlighting their contributions to the development of narrative form and structure. The book offers a rich exploration of literary techniques and themes across different eras, showcasing the interplay between narrative and its broader cultural context.

The book offers a comprehensive exploration of the Romance genre from the medieval era to the 20th century, highlighting its evolution and interactions with other literary forms like gothic novels and realism. It examines influential writers such as Chaucer, Sidney, and Tennyson, and analyzes significant texts including Cervantes' Don Quixote and Coleridge's Kubla Khan, providing insights into the genre's development and thematic richness over time.

An examination of Carroll's books about Alice explores the contextual knowledge of the time period in which it was written, addressing such topics as time, games, mathematics, and taxonomies.