To be fair, the commentaries and introductions are useful if you are unfamiliar with a poet or a period. And I am sure the vocabulary help (in medieval literature) kept some of my students alive through the semester.
I am not saying the Norton does not have a lot of good literature. My main problem with it is how it perpetuates the idea of the canon as something naildownable (I know it discusses it in the introduction, but the presumption of gathering "English Literature" in a book -- it makes me cranky). And I sometimes wonder about their selection criteria.
But by all means. Excellent stuff in there. And if I really, truly actually had to throw some book into a wormhole that would destroy all but one book, to a place that did not have any other books (because that is what we are talking about), I would probably make the same choice.
The big question, though, is: volume 1 or volume 2?
But is was my first real exposure to poetry I actaully liked so I cut it some slack. 
I still don't read it much but at least now I understand why people can love it.
I still don't read it much but at least now I understand why people can love it. I am not saying the Norton does not have a lot of good literature. My main problem with it is how it perpetuates the idea of the canon as something naildownable (I know it discusses it in the introduction, but the presumption of gathering "English Literature" in a book -- it makes me cranky). And I sometimes wonder about their selection criteria.
But by all means. Excellent stuff in there. And if I really, truly actually had to throw some book into a wormhole that would destroy all but one book, to a place that did not have any other books (because that is what we are talking about), I would probably make the same choice.
The big question, though, is: volume 1 or volume 2?
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
If you could pass on only one book to the next generation, what would it be?
- 01/04/2011 10:29:47 AM
1998 Views
The Kama Sutra 
*NM*
- 01/04/2011 01:35:42 PM
537 Views
*NM*
- 01/04/2011 01:35:42 PM
537 Views
Well, it WOULD help insure that there would be at least 1 more generation after that... *NM*
- 01/04/2011 07:49:30 PM
547 Views
GRRM's SoIaF, maybe they will live long enough to see the series ended
- 01/04/2011 07:59:58 PM
1308 Views
- 01/04/2011 07:59:58 PM
1308 Views
Norton's Anthology *NM*
- 01/04/2011 08:44:18 PM
528 Views
Lord save me. *NM*
- 01/04/2011 08:46:13 PM
514 Views
quantiy over quality
- 03/04/2011 07:16:13 PM
1078 Views
Re: quantiy over quality
- 03/04/2011 07:18:13 PM
1090 Views
I was mostly pissed that I had to $60 for it and everything we read was available for free
- 03/04/2011 11:27:24 PM
1033 Views
That is a problem.
- 03/04/2011 11:59:28 PM
1166 Views
I'm tempted to say 1984
- 02/04/2011 01:32:22 PM
1084 Views
Yeah, that seems like the obvious choice for me as well... but in my lifetime, no idea either. *NM*
- 02/04/2011 06:23:54 PM
523 Views
I'd go with Brave New World, actually.
- 02/04/2011 10:36:20 PM
1197 Views
I think Huxley has a better understanding of human nature and less politcal motive
- 03/04/2011 04:48:19 AM
1001 Views
Some parts of Orwell's dystopia did in fact come true, though.
- 03/04/2011 03:07:07 PM
1042 Views
you really need to read Brave New World
- 03/04/2011 07:14:04 PM
991 Views
We agree again. *NM*
- 03/04/2011 07:45:06 PM
552 Views
stop that your scaring me *NM*
- 03/04/2011 11:27:52 PM
494 Views
I can berate you for writing "your" instead of "you're" if it makes you feel better. *NM*
- 03/04/2011 11:30:14 PM
491 Views
Can't recommend many published in my life that I've read;the Sprawl Trilogy if I can count a series.
- 03/04/2011 12:18:30 AM
1251 Views