“The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature” is a best-seller for a reason: it brings literature to life for students — helping to make them lifelong readers and better writers. Classic works from many periods and cultures exist alongside a diverse representation of today's authors. Support for students includes a dozen chapters of critical reading and writing, with plenty of sample close readings, writing assignments, and student papers. And, because everyone teaches a little differently, there are lots of options for working with the literature, including in-depth chapters on major authors and case studies on individual works and themes that everyone can relate to. New to this edition are casebooks on short fiction and the natural world and a chapter created with Billy Collins.

“The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature” is a best-seller for a reason: it brings literature to life for students — helping to make them lifelong readers and better writers. Classic works from many periods and cultures exist alongside a diverse representation of today's authors. Support for students includes a dozen chapters of critical reading and writing, with plenty of sample close readings, writing assignments, and student papers. And, because everyone teaches a little differently, there are lots of options for working with the literature, including in-depth chapters on major authors and case studies on individual works and themes that everyone can relate to. New to this edition are casebooks on short fiction and the natural world and a chapter created with Billy Collins. This anthology is now available with video Learn more about “VideoCentral for Literature.”

Michael Meyer is currently Director of Communications for the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Between 1988 and 1992, he was “Newsweek”'s Bureau Chief for Germany, Central Europe and the Balkans, writing more than twenty cover stories on the break-up of communist Europe and German unification. He is the winner of two Overseas Press Club Awards and appears regularly as a commentator for MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, C-Span, NPR and other broadcast network. He previously worked at the “Washington Post” and “Congressional Quarterly”. He is the author of the “Alexander Complex” (Times Books,