The Cambridge Companion to the City in Literature

By Kevin R. McNamara | Publisher: Cambridge University Press

About the book

From the myths and legends that fashioned the identities of ancient city-states to the diversity of literary performance in contemporary cities around the world, literature and the city are inseparably entwined. The international team of scholars in this volume offers a comprehensive, accessible survey of the literary city, exploring the myriad cities that authors create and the genres in which cities appear. Early chapters consider the literary legacies of historical and symbolic cities from antiquity to the early modern period. Subsequent chapters consider the importance of literature to the rise of the urban public sphere; the affective experience of city life; the interplay of the urban landscape and memory; the form of the literary city and its responsiveness to social, cultural and technological change; dystopian, nocturnal, pastoral and sublime cities; cities shaped by colonialism and postcolonialism; and the cities of economic, sexual, cultural and linguistic outsiders.

Editions of The Cambridge Companion to the City in Literature

Hardcover
ISBN 9781107028036
Paperback
ISBN 9781107609150

Read an Excerpt

From the myths and legends that fashioned the identities of ancient city-states to the diversity of literary performance in contemporary cities around the world, literature and the city are inseparably entwined. The international team of scholars in this volume offers a comprehensive, accessible survey of the literary city, exploring the myriad cities that authors create and the genres in which cities appear. Early chapters consider the literary legacies of historical and symbolic cities from antiquity to the early modern period. Subsequent chapters consider the importance of literature to the rise of the urban public sphere; the affective experience of city life; the interplay of the urban landscape and memory; the form of the literary city and its responsiveness to social, cultural and technological change; dystopian, nocturnal, pastoral and sublime cities; cities shaped by colonialism and postcolonialism; and the cities of economic, sexual, cultural and linguistic outsiders.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Cambridge Companion to the City in Literature about?

From the myths and legends that fashioned the identities of ancient city-states to the diversity of literary performance in contemporary cities around the world, literature and the city are inseparably entwined. The international team of scholars in this volume offers a comprehensive, accessible survey of the literary city, exploring the myriad cities that authors create and the genres in which cities appear. Early chapters consider the literary legacies of historical and symbolic cities from antiquity to the early modern period. Subsequent chapters consider the importance of literature to the rise of the urban public sphere; the affective experience of city life; the interplay of the urban landscape and memory; the form of the literary city and its responsiveness to social, cultural and technological change; dystopian, nocturnal, pastoral and sublime cities; cities shaped by colonialism and postcolonialism; and the cities of economic, sexual, cultural and linguistic outsiders.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Cambridge Companion to the City in Literature?

Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism > Literary studies: general

Where can I read a sample of The Cambridge Companion to the City in Literature?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781107028036

Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Cambridge Companion to the City in Literature?

Kevin R. McNamara

Who is the Publisher of the book The Cambridge Companion to the City in Literature?

Cambridge University Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

The Cambridge Companion to the City in Literature is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781107028036) and paperback(ISBN 9781107609150)