Literary Studies

Rating Title Author Genre Sub-Genre(s) Country Year Sort descending
8.5 Life of Samuel JohnsonThe Life of Samuel Johnson James BoswellBoswell Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies Scotland
7.0 Texts and Pretexts: An Anthology with CommentariesTexts and Pretexts: An Anthology with Commentaries Aldous HuxleyHuxley Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United States
7.5 Journals of Arnold Bennett (1896-1910)The Journals of Arnold Bennett (1896-1910) Arnold BennettBennett Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United Kingdom
8.0 Enemies of PromiseEnemies of Promise Cyril ConnollyConnolly Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Autobiography/Memoir United Kingdom
7.5 How to Read a BookHow to Read a Book Mortimer AdlerAdler Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Education United States
8.5 Writer's NotebookA Writer's Notebook W. Somerset MaughamMaugham Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United Kingdom
7.0 Brave New World RevisitedBrave New World Revisited Aldous HuxleyHuxley Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United States
8.0 Love and Death in the American NovelLove and Death in the American Novel Leslie FiedlerFiedler Non-Fiction Literary Studies United States
9.0 Example of MelvilleThe Example of Melville Warner BerthoffBerthoff Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Biography United States
8.0 Sultry Month: Scenes of London Literary Life in 1846A Sultry Month: Scenes of London Literary Life in 1846 Alethea HayterHayter Non-Fiction History, Literary Studies United Kingdom
8.5 Speak, Memory: An Autobiography RevisitedSpeak, Memory: An Autobiography Revisited Vladimir NabokovNabokov Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies Russia
8.0 Illuminations: Essays and ReflectionsIlluminations: Essays and Reflections Walter BenjaminBenjamin Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies Germany
8.0 Rise and Fall of the Man of Letters: A Study of the Idiosyncratic and the Humane in Modern LiteratureThe Rise and Fall of the Man of Letters: A Study of the Idiosyncratic and the Humane in Modern Literature John GrossGross Non-Fiction Literary Studies United Kingdom
8.0 Sort of Life: A MemoirA Sort of Life: A Memoir Graham GreeneGreenec Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United Kingdom
7.5 Catalogue of CrimeA Catalogue of Crime Jacques BarzunBarzun Non-Fiction Reference, Literary Studies France
7.0 Alternating CurrentAlternating Current Octavio PazPaz Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Essays Mexico
9.0 Rhetoric of IronyA Rhetoric of Irony Wayne BoothBoothb Non-Fiction Literary Studies United States
8.0 Great War and Modern MemoryThe Great War and Modern Memory Paul FussellFussell Non-Fiction History, Literary Studies United States
9.5 Picked-Up Pieces: EssaysPicked-Up Pieces: Essays John UpdikeUpdike Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United States
7.5 MemoirsMemoirs Pablo NerudaNeruda Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies Chile
8.0 Habit of Being: The Letters of Flannery O'ConnorThe Habit of Being: The Letters of Flannery O'Connor Flannery O'ConnorO'Connor Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United States
7.0 Writer on Her WorkThe Writer on Her Work Janet SternburgSternburg Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United States
7.5 Danse MacabreDanse Macabre Stephen KingKing Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Essays United States
8.0 Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily DickinsonSexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson Camille PagliaPaglia Non-Fiction History, Literary Studies United States
7.5 Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That WayThe Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way Bill BrysonBryson Non-Fiction Literary Studies United States
8.0 U and I: A True StoryU and I: A True Story Nicholson BakerBaker Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Autobiography/Memoir United States
8.0 Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and LifeBird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life Anne LamottLamott Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Essays United States
8.0 Lytton Strachey: The New BiographyLytton Strachey: The New Biography Michael HolroydHolroyd Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United Kingdom
8.5 Visiting Mrs. Nabokov: And Other ExcursionsVisiting Mrs. Nabokov: And Other Excursions Martin AmisAmis Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United Kingdom
7.0 Darkness Moves: An Henri Michaux AnthologyDarkness Moves: An Henri Michaux Anthology Henri MichauxMichaux Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies France
7.0 History of ReadingA History of Reading Alberto ManguelManguel Non-Fiction History, Literary Studies Argentina
9.5 How Proust Can Change Your LifeHow Proust Can Change Your Life Alain de Bottonde Botton Non-Fiction Philosophy, Literary Studies United Kingdom
7.0 Several Lives of Chester HimesThe Several Lives of Chester Himes Edward MargoliesMargolies Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United States
7.0 Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967 Hunter S. ThompsonThompsonb Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United States
7.0 New Fiedler ReaderThe New Fiedler Reader Leslie FiedlerFiedler Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Essays United States
7.5 Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov): Portrait of a MarriageVera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov): Portrait of a Marriage Stacy SchiffSchiff Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United States
8.5 On Writing: A Memoir of the CraftOn Writing: A Memoir of the Craft Stephen KingKing Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United States
8.0 Unacknowledged Legislation: Writers in the Public SphereUnacknowledged Legislation: Writers in the Public Sphere Christopher HitchensHitchens Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Politics United Kingdom
8.0 How to Read and WhyHow to Read and Why Harold BloomBloom Non-Fiction Literary Studies United States
7.0 Stranger Shores: Literary Essays (1986-1999)Stranger Shores: Literary Essays (1986-1999) J.M. CoetzeeCoetzee Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies South Africa
8.5 Element of Lavishness: Letters of Sylvia Townsend Warner & William Maxwell, 1938-1978The Element of Lavishness: Letters of Sylvia Townsend Warner & William Maxwell, 1938-1978 Sylvia Townsend WarnerWarner Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United Kingdom
9.5 War Against Cliche: Essays and Reviews 1971-2000The War Against Cliche: Essays and Reviews 1971-2000 Martin AmisAmisz Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United Kingdom
7.5 My Mentor: A Young Man's Friendship with William MaxwellMy Mentor: A Young Man's Friendship with William Maxwell Alec WilkinsonWilkinson Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United States
7.0 Haruki Murakami and the Music of WordsHaruki Murakami and the Music of Words Jay RubinRubin Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United States
7.5 With BorgesWith Borges Alberto ManguelManguel Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies Argentina
8.0 Between ParenthesesBetween Parentheses Roberto BolanoBolano Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies Chile
8.0 Power Of Delight: A Lifetime In Literature: Essays 1962-2002The Power Of Delight: A Lifetime In Literature: Essays 1962-2002 John BayleyBayley Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United Kingdom
7.0 Library at NightThe Library at Night Alberto ManguelManguel Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies Argentina
8.0 Temple of Texts: EssaysA Temple of Texts: Essays William GassGass Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United States
8.0 Shakespeare: The World as StageShakespeare: The World as Stage Bill BrysonBryson Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United States
7.5 Encounter: EssaysEncounter: Essays Milan KunderaKundera Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies Czech Republic
7.0 Talking About Detective FictionTalking About Detective Fiction P.D. JamesJamesd Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Reference United Kingdom
8.0 Making of Middlebrow CultureThe Making of Middlebrow Culture Joan Shelley RubinRubinb Non-Fiction Sociology, Literary Studies United States
7.5 Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness and ObsessionThe Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness and Obsession David GrannGrann Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United States
7.0 Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster WallaceAlthough of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace David LipskyLipsky Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United States
8.5 How to Write a SentenceHow to Write a Sentence Stanley FishFish Non-Fiction Literary Studies United States
7.0 Several Short Sentences About WritingSeveral Short Sentences About Writing Verlyn KlinkenborgKlinkenborg Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United States
8.0 Every Love Story is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster WallaceEvery Love Story is a Ghost Story: A Life of David Foster Wallace D.T. MaxMax Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United States
7.5 White GirlsWhite Girls Hilton AlsAls Non-Fiction Essays, Literary Studies United States
7.0 Distant ReadingDistant Reading Franco MorettiMoretti Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Essays Italy
8.0 Susan Sontag: A BiographySusan Sontag: A Biography Daniel SchreiberSchreiber Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies Germany
8.5 Getaway Car: A Donald Westlake Nonfiction MiscellanyThe Getaway Car: A Donald Westlake Nonfiction Miscellany Donald WestlakeWestlake Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Essays United States
8.5 Impossible Exile: Stefan Zweig at the End of the WorldThe Impossible Exile: Stefan Zweig at the End of the World George ProchnikProchnik Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United States
7.5 Ten Years in the Tub: A Decade Soaking in Great BooksTen Years in the Tub: A Decade Soaking in Great Books Nick HornbyHornby Non-Fiction Literary Studies United Kingdom
8.0 Odd Couple: The Curious Friendship between Kingsley Amis and Philip LarkinThe Odd Couple: The Curious Friendship between Kingsley Amis and Philip Larkin Richard BradfordBradford Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United Kingdom
7.0 Music at Midnight: The Life and Poetry of George HerbertMusic at Midnight: The Life and Poetry of George Herbert John DruryDrury Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United Kingdom
7.0 Letters to VeraLetters to Vera Vladimir NabokovNabokov Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies Russia
7.0 Reading Style: A Life in SentencesReading Style: A Life in Sentences Jenny DavidsonDavidsonb Non-Fiction Literary Studies United States
8.0 UpdikeUpdike Adam BegleyBegley Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United States
8.5 Nearest Thing to LifeThe Nearest Thing to Life James WoodWoodc Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United Kingdom
7.0 Divine Magnet: Herman Melville's Letters to Nathaniel HawthorneThe Divine Magnet: Herman Melville's Letters to Nathaniel Hawthorne Herman MelvilleMelville Non-Fiction Autobiography/Memoir, Literary Studies United States
9.5 Complete Review Guide to Contemporary World FictionThe Complete Review Guide to Contemporary World Fiction M.A. OrthoferOrthofer Non-Fiction Reference, Literary Studies United States
7.0 Nabokov’s Favorite Word is Mauve: What the Numbers Reveal About the Classics, Bestsellers, and Our Own WritingNabokov’s Favorite Word is Mauve: What the Numbers Reveal About the Classics, Bestsellers, and Our Own Writing Ben BlattBlatt Non-Fiction Literary Studies United States
7.0 Strange Stars: David Bowie, Pop Music, and the Decade Sci-Fi ExplodedStrange Stars: David Bowie, Pop Music, and the Decade Sci-Fi Exploded Jason HellerHeller Non-Fiction Literary Studies, Music United States
8.0 W.G. SebaldW.G. Sebald Uwe SchutteSchutte Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies Germany
7.0 Art of Mystery: The Search for QuestionsThe Art of Mystery: The Search for Questions Maud CaseyCasey Non-Fiction Literary Studies United States
7.0 Master of Deception: The Wartime Adventures of Peter FlemingMaster of Deception: The Wartime Adventures of Peter Fleming Alan OgdenOgden Non-Fiction Biography, Literary Studies United Kingdom