First published in 1951, the two volumes of An Introduction to the English Novel discuss how and why the novel developed in England in the eighteenth century. The books look at the function and background of prose fiction, focusing its arguments around the study of carefully selected books that have had a significant impact on its development. The author examines the progress in the long struggle of the novelist to see life steadily and whole, and points out some of the problems and hazards that beset the writer still.

First published in 1953, this book forms the second part of Arnold Kettle’s An Introduction to the English Novel. In this second part, Kettle builds a discussion of the modern English novel around the study of various books that have a more than casual significance in its development. He begins with an analysis of James, Hardy and Butler: three late Victorian writers whose work points forward to the major preoccupations of twentieth-century novelists. In his discussion of a dozen or so of these points, the author examines their progress in the long struggle of the novelist to see life steadily and whole, and points out some of the problems and hazards that beset the writer still. ‘The selection both of novelists and their work is excellent... it is both shrewd and witty...’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘Altogether this is a refreshing, challenging and original work, wholly adult in tone, and never pedantic or dull’ The Guardian

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

In this eclectic and compelling book, Ambanasom sets out to achieve three primary objectives: to introduce the reader to the extensive body of Cameroonian novels in English, to re-examine the distorting and limiting criteria upon which the critical assessment of the Cameroonian novel in English has so far been based, and to bridge the widening chasm between literary theory and actual critical practice. To achieve these objectives, Ambanasom begins by elaborating an alternative and flexible theoretical framework which he christens the 'Socio-Artistic Approach' and which, according to him, is 'concerned with both a text's thematic, moral, cultural or ideological issues, on the one hand, and its central literary analysis, on the other.' He then proceeds to use this new critical framework to examine twenty-seven major Cameroonian novels in English.