Books like How to read literature like a professor by Thomas C. Foster

Francine Prose shows how studying great writers—from Dostoyevsky to Joyce—reveals the craft of storytelling, urging readers to analyze language and technique in order to improve their own writing.

A collection of essays by Nick Hornby, focusing on his book collection and the books he reads in his busy life as a writer in America.

The second edition of "Literary Criticism" by Charles E. Bressler guides readers through the historical evolution and main theoretical positions of eleven literary schools, fostering informed, thoughtful interpretation.

Harold Bloom surveys the Western literary canon, championing the autonomy of the aesthetic and centering Shakespeare as the pivotal figure whose influence spans from Milton to modern writers.

How to Decode the Grammar of the Popular Novel and Unlock Its Literary Language

An approachable entry into literary theory, guiding readers through major critical approaches, their historical and political contexts, practical examples, and further reading, to show how theory transforms the act of reading.

A concise, step‑by‑step handbook that guides students through the process of writing about literature, blending critical thinking with practical research and paper‑writing strategies for fiction, drama, and poetry.

"No literary form is as admired and feared as poetry. Admired for its lengthy pedigree--a line of poets extending back to a time before recorded history--and a ubiquitous presence in virtually all cultures, poetry is also revered for its great beauty and the powerful emotions it evokes. But the form has also instilled trepidation in its many admirers mainly because of a lack of familiarity and knowledge. Poetry demands more from readers--intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually--than other literary forms. Most of us started out loving poetry because it filled our beloved children's books from Dr. Seuss to Robert Louis Stevenson. Eventually, our reading shifted to prose and later when we encountered poetry again, we had no recent experience to make it feel familiar. But reading poetry doesn't need to be so overwhelming. In an entertaining and engaging voice, Thomas C. Foster shows readers how to overcome their fear of poetry and learn to enjoy it once more."--Back cover.