Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction

Jonathan Culler has always been about the best person around at
explaining literary theory without oversimplifying it or treating it with
polemical bias. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction is an
exemplary work in this genre.
J. Hillis Miller, University of California, Irvine
An impressive and engaging feat of condensation . . . the avoidance of
the usual plod through schools and approaches allows the reader to get
straight to the heart of the crucial issue for many students, which is:
why are they studying literary theory in the first place? . . . an engaging
and lively book.
Patricia Waugh, University of Durham