“The range, quality, and freshness of this text's readings astonish me..This text has the finest range of readings..that I have seen in 25 years of teaching”—Dr. Will Tomory, Southwestern Michigan College.

Two introductory chapters on reading and writing about literature lead into seven chapters on the theme of human development, from family and cultural ties through considerations of class, race, and ethnicity, to the spiritual dimension of human life. Each thematic chapter is preceded by a brief introduction to the theme, and each chapter concludes with “Connections,” questions that help students to see connections between different works in different genres, and “Filmography,” an annotated list of suggested films. Each reading is followed by a set of questions to help students analyze the text, understand the author's techniques, and develop an interpretation of the work. The text emphasizes the development of an effective argument for an interpretation of a literary work, both in the introductory chapters and in “Arguing for an Interpretation” questions at the end of each reading.

The extraordinary breadth of the reading selections, and the diversity of the authors represented in the text, are unique; students will find some classic works, such as Shakespeare's “Hamlet,” along with many less well—known writings from authors around the globe, representing Eastern as well as Western cultures. Students will be challenged to understand the cultural context of the readings, and stimulated to provide meaningful analysis and interpretation of the texts.