/lit/ - Literature

Bumping with /lit/-related images, so should you.

>inb4 Norton Anthologies

nothing wrong with norton anthology of world literature...

So you don't want anthologies then?

>>1857556

Did I say something was wrong with them? No. I already HAVE them, for starters. I want a different type.


>>1857558

Are you stupid?

>>1857563
you're mean. as long as you have this attitude
i won't help you and neither will any sensible anon. i will monitor your behavior and we'll see how it goes.

>>1857568
Seriously, this. What the fuck is wrong with you OP.

>>1857568
you tell that big meanie

>>1857572
>>1857568

Samefag. Interesting form of trolling, but I'd rather actual recommendations.

>>1857574
I was actually only >>1857558 and >>1857572.

But you seem to full of hate to truly appreciate literature~

Norton Anthologies are good, but what I want are books ABOUT literature, not books with pieces of literature in it.

Example.

19th century French novelists: lists authors, major works, what they did, context, influences, etc.

I'd love a book that'd cover everything.

>>1857554
What's that, the 'Housewife Classics Edition'? God!

>>1857582
The Western Canon?

>>1857580

Since when is hate a way to measure someone's capacity in enjoying literature? Céline anyone?

Your trolling is on par, but move on to actual suggestions.

>>1857588

That's Penguin Classics' hardcover edition. I thought they were hugely famous by now.

>>1857589

Something more worldwide would be cool too. Japanese literature, Russian, etc.

>>1857582
What would you say to books full of in-depth literary reviews? Usually focused on one area. I could give you a couple of recs for those.

The New Short Story Theories edited by Charles E. May.

Full with essays on short story history and other theories surrounding short stories. Checkhov and Poe have essays in it as well.

>>1857580
far too full of hate. i pity op. op is so focused on exercising his/her mind with books, op has let hisher heart dry up. sad sad sad.

any anon out there want to give op tips on /lit/ manners?

i'm curious. thanks.

>>1857573
i could've called him worse. leave me alone. (-__-)

>>1857600

What the fuck... Maybe you guys don't spend enough time on /b/. Toughen up, this is the internet, nobody means it.

Now stop being so butthurt and deliver the goods.

>>1857595
If you're okay with what I said in >>1857595, then Japanese Literature Reviewed by Donald Richie. But I'll look around for more non-anthology related Japanese literature overview type things.

>>1857602

Sweet.

>>1857600
yea, you should have called him worse. but it's okay :3

How about a book about the history of the novel? I don't mind big books with illustrations, like a history book.

>I want books of that sort, with different specifications (poetry, novels, short stories, etc); something that would enable someone to have a vast and varied idea of literary history.

so you want to learn literary history with as little reading as possible? why can't you read the big classics from a variety of countries then work your way down to the less popular but still as influential works. it could take you the rest of your life.

>>1857610

Speechless.

>>1857614

>why can't you read the big classics from a variety of countries then work your way down to the less popular but still as influential works

> it could take you the rest of your life

Answered your own question, genius.

Bonus information, I already have an MA in English and French literature, I'm not new to it, I just want books that cover THE WHOLE thing in varied domains.

I recommend Erich Auerbach's "Mimesis". It basically traces the role that representation plays in Western literature from the beginning (Homer and the Bible) through the modern era. It's really a tremendous work in its argumentation and analysis. In addition, it uses only primary sources - Auerbach, a German by birth, had fled the Nazi regime and was living in exile in Turkey, so had access to only a fragmentary and incomplete library. Therefore, he was forced to use only primary sources in his study, which adds to the accessibility and the scope of the work, I think.

I think if all you want is a list of authors and influences, frankly, Wikipedia is your best bet for that. Or maybe some kind of Dummy's Guide type thing. You could also consider checking out the Western Canon, Clive James' book "Cultural Amnesia", or Egon Friedell's "Cultural History of the Modern Age" if you can find a copy, or Burckhardt on the Renaissance. But I don't know how useful any of those would ultimately be for you.

>>1857628

Thank you!

>>1857604
Oh, duh. Completely forgot about these, but there is a three volume series by Shuichi Kato where each book covers a different period in Japanese literary history (The First Thousand Years, The Years of Isolation, The Modern Years). Very good and all-encompassing stuff.

Alberto Manguel's "History Of Reading" is probably good, though i haven't read it. I have read his "The Library At Night", about libraries, which was fine, but he pisses me off b/c he's an out of touch elitist. I very much enjoy his "Dictionary of Imaginary Places".

>>1857638

That sounds interesting. I'm interested in Japan.

>>1857628
the first half of your post sounds interesting. i'm not op but i may check that out. thanks.

>>1857622
i bought this recently. it has some poems and some short stories. i don't like how you threw in >genius ....you're a hot pepper, bro.

http://www.amazon.com/Anthology-Korean-Literature-Nineteenth-Representative/dp/0824807561

>>1857642
Hah, me too! The literature at least. For a Chinese literary history, this one looks good, though I can't personally vouch for it:

http://www.amazon.com/Columbia-History-Chinese-Literature/dp/0231109857/

>>1857653

Are you guys really acting polite on /lit/ or am I being trolled hard as fuck?

>>1857653
and to be fair with korean lit, the japs burned a lot of our books when they occupied our turf.

>>1857686
O shi- Korean person?

Not OP, but recommend me some Korean literature!

Woah, I never knew that Chinese and Korean people even HAD literature!

>>1857686
yay korean

>>1857661
Content threads are usually quite polite.

Both Modern Scholar and The Teaching Company offer audio courses that survey literature. I would reccomend you grab a torrent called TTC complete universal literature off of demonoid.

>>1857702
How could you not know about Chinese literature. Journey to the West? Romance of the Three Kingdoms?

wtf

>>1857713

Cash!

>>1857715

But they're Chinese! Do they even know the alphabet? ABCD and stuff?

>>1857717
oh you

>>1857720

Bumping for this anon who saged. Sage does nothing. Your mom is a whore.

>>1857717
describe this scene without words, you have a pen and paper

>>1857732

I'd draw it.

>>1857713
>The Teaching Company

nice one!

most /lit/peeps ought to be familiar with their website. i'm thinking about ordering some dvds on music theory.

http://www.thegreatcourses.com

>>1857736
yes, and that's your protolanguage if you select for abstraction over specificity

>>1857747
So what did I win?

>>1857747

>implying Japs who could draw couldn't speak...

>>1857699
even though i'm korean i'm more familiar with jap lit. so sad...

try kim chi ha.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Chi-Ha

a freedom fighter who was repeatedly arrested and beaten for his writings. he would write shit KNOWING he would be arrested and beaten for it. he even mentioned it in one of his introductions.

i discovered him through reading kenzaburo oe (one of my favorite writers. possibly my favorite jap writer). he's one of oe's favorites.

i have some of kim chi ha's stuff and anthologies on old korean literature. the last of which i purchased was posted here: >>1857653

that's what i usually end up buying. some anthologies with poems, short stories, folk tales and lore.

>>1857743

> dvds on music theory

I find learning music from a dvd is a huge pain in the ass, especially theory. Theory needs to be studied and memorized. A book alone would probably be enough but an accompanying cd definitely makes it easier. Unless you need visual instructions, like where to put your fingers, stay away from dvd's.

>>1857798
let's talk about kdrama

>>1857798
are you a cutie patootie? :3

>>1857759
that's not the fucking point

For modernist literature, you need to read Axel's Castle by Edmund Wilson.

Also for modern lit, check out Martin Seymour-Smith's books, which are actually incredibly smart and thorough even if he has some weird quirks.

Otherwise you should just check out critical writing. Nabokov's various lectures on literature are useful. Harold Bloom's more general stuff (like The Western Canon) can be useful. Otherwise you have to go by time period or subject. So FO Matthiessen and Leslie Fiedler can be useful (in a general way) for American lit, but they don't write about anything else. If there's anything more specific you're looking to learn about, I can suggest a specific title.

Hippolyte Taine, History of English Literature
William Wilson and Judy something, An Incomplete Education

>>1857802
i know basic music theory. i had about ten years of piano lessons. plus i'm a self-taught guitar and banjo player of about 10+ years (i'm 29. will be 30 in less than a month. SIGH!).

i'm looking to someday write with the level of sophistication that j.s. bach wrote (it's a dream anyways. sigh).

i'm hoping the teaching company isn't like one of those typical guitar dvds where you have a player going through the motions of teaching you some scales and chords for a song. i'm looking for something that feels like a visual textbook that isn't focused on any particular instrument. i want straight theory, and i want something to help me work past the basic stuff (which is all i remember from my piano lessons) to hopefully help me get into more exotic-sounding chords and arrangements. the teaching company has really good videos on a variety of subjects. it's an expensive gamble though. so if you've got something good to suggest then help a brother out.

>>1857813
sometimes.


>>1857812
kdrama? can you suggest anything? i have read a few good books on the korean war i can recommend. it and a few anthologies on old korean lit. i like books on military history. that's kind of like drama too in a way. hehe

>>1857858

I play guitar and harmonica mostly, some piano, trumpet and banjo. I cant think of anything I own that I would say is fantastic as opposed to other books out there, id think they are pretty much all the same. I think it depends on the style of music you like playing though. If you want to learn to improvise blues or jazz than there are plenty of books with cd's that are probably great, if you want to learn songcraft, then I can't help you as I basically just use the standard major chord progressions which I need only to refer to the internet. I just dont know how a dvd would better help you to learn theory. I guess if you just read reviews of the products and go off those you can't go wrong.

>>1857858

continued...

but if its crazy chords your into than Id say the jazz lessons are probably the best bet, I do own one book: "the complete rhythm guitar guide for blues bands" by larry mccabe that may be exactly what you are looking for. It is difficult though, and you will need a moderate knowledge of theory to use it, I havent yet so I couldnt tell you how good it is, check it out though, it comes with a cd

>>1857858
What would a music theory course consist of, anyhow? Once the basics are understood, wouldn't one learn through experimentation, imitation, and studying the form and pattern of whatever music you come across or want to understand? I'd really like to know, I love music theory.

>>1857879
>>1857884
cool, man. i'll look into it. i have quite a few guitar books i've gone through. i initially taught myself guitar and banjo by ear with the basic understanding i remember from piano lessons. after, i've been using books quite often. whenever i'm in a slump with writing i generally chip away at practicing and try to improve my understanding through books.

if you get a chance, check out chord chemistry by ted greene. it's mostly jazz shit but it's opened some doors for me.

>>1857896
10-star post.

it's exactly how i feel. and i really want to know what you're asking too. that's why i'm interested in checking out the dvds. the teaching company makes great stuff. considering the other shit i've seen i'm wondering how good the one on music theory is. hmm...

ITT: fags who don't know what music theory is...

It's all the structures invented by musicians, through culture and theory, blues notes, arpegios, tricks, techniques, traditions, etc.

Get off your high horses, learning what people did before won't harm your ego.

>>1857909
Ahh, I see. Good luck to you, then!

>>1857896

There is a lot to learn and if you play a certain way your bound to forget all of the other theory that doesn't involve playing your style. It is basically just one HUGE lesson, but needs constant revision.

>>1857900

your welcome bro, and the book is noted.

>>1857910

exactly, it would be like writing a novel without ever reading a book,