Literature by Place - Exodus Books

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It's kind of crazy to what extent geography can inform an author's work. Jack London spent most of his life at sea, dog-sledding across Alaska, boxing and generally being an adventurous guy who would put today's REI crowd to shame. Would he have penned some of the greatest American novels otherwise? especially ones concerned primarily with man battling the elements for survival in both a mental and physical sense? Very probably not, which explains why Oscar Wilde didn't write about wolves and crazy ship captains.

No, Oscar Wilde wrote primarily about fops and society people parrying witticisms incessantly. That's not to say his work has no place in a serious consideration of literature—au contraire, The Picture of Dorian Grey is one of the finest novels written in English. It's just more evidence that if you're an author who lives in the Canadian mountains or the clubs of London, your writing will reflect that.

Physical terrain isn't the only consideration. Sartre wrote about people lolling about with no real sense of purpose except to drink wine and smoke cigarettes and look languorous because he lived in France in the 1940s. Friedrich Nietzsche had immense mustaches and espoused a form of nihilism because he was German. The Russians wrote impossibly long novels because they lived in Russia. And Chinua Achebe was almost entirely influenced by his African upbringing.

That's not to say no one can write well about a context they haven't experienced firsthand. I'm pretty sure Robert Heinlein never visited Mars, and even if he did it wasn't as his books describe; the same goes for Bradbury. And no, Roald Dahl was never lost in a delightfully (though at times, terrifyingly) absurd chocolate factory. Yet even with these examples, the authors conveyed essentially the attitudes of the countries they came from—Heinlein and Bradbury from the U.S., Dahl from the U.K.

Our Literature by Place subcategories are admittedly Anglo-centric. North American literature features, well, American literature, and you can be pretty sure British literature reflects the same system; everything else goes in world literature. We have plenty of non-American or -British literature, we just don't have much from any one place besides those two. At any rate, we hope these categories are helpful, and if they guide you toward one book you're looking for (or maybe one you didn't even know existed), they've done their job.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

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Drama (Plays),

9th grade (Ages 14-15)

	Antony and Cleopatra Dover Thrift Editions by William Shakespeare from Dover Publications Historical Tragedy for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $4.00
	As You Like It Dover Thrift Editions by William Shakespeare from Dover Publications Comedy for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $5.00
	As You Like It Illustrated Shakespeare by William Shakespeare, illustrated by Hugh Thomson from Gramercy Books Comedy for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
	Complete Plays of Gilbert and Sullivan by William Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan from W. W. Norton and Co. Drama for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $29.95
	Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand from Bantam Books Drama for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $2.50 (2 in stock)
	Cyrano de Bergerac Dover Thrift Editions by Edmond Rostand from Dover Publications Drama for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.00 $2.00 (2 in stock)
	Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand from Heritage Press Drama for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
	Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, translated by Brian Hooker 1963 Reprint from Heinemann Educational Books Drama for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Everyman and Other Miracle and Morality Plays Dover Thrift Editions by Anonymous from Dover Publications Medieval Drama for 9th-Adult in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED) $5.00 $1.50 (9 in stock)
	Faust: A Tragedy Parts One and Two, Fully Revised by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Translated by Martin Greenberg from Yale University Press for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Hamlet The Pelican Shakespeare by William Shakespeare from Penguin Putnam Tragedy for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Henry V Oxford School Shakespeare by William Shakespeare & Roma Gill, editor from Oxford University Historical Drama for 7th-10th grade in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
	Henry V by William Shakespeare from Dover Publications Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $4.00
	Henry V Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Washington Square Press Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Henry VI Part 1 Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Washington Square Press Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Henry VI Part 2 Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Washington Square Press Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Henry VI Part 3 Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Washington Square Press Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Henry VIII Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Washington Square Press Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Ideal Husband Dover Thrift Editions by Oscar Wilde from Dover Publications Drama for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $2.50
	Importance of Being Earnest Dover Thrift Editions by Oscar Wilde from Dover Publications Drama/Comedy for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $3.00
	Importance of Being Earnest Dover Thrift Editions by Oscar Wilde from Signet Classics Drama/Comedy for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.95
	Julius Caesar Dover Thrift Editions by William Shakespeare from Dover Publications Historical Tragedy for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $4.00
	Julius Caesar Oxford School Shakespeare by William Shakespeare & Roma Gill, editor from Oxford University Historical Tragedy for 7th-10th grade in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.95
	Julius Caesar Barron's Shakespeare Made Easy by William Shakespeare 1st U.S. from Barron's Historical Tragedy for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Julius Caesar Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Simon and Schuster for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Julius Caesar (No Fear Shakespeare) by William Shakespeare Study Guide ed. from Sparknotes for 9th-12th grade in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	King John and Henry VIII by William Shakespeare from Bantam Books Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $5.99 $3.00 (2 in stock)
	King Lear Shakespeare Made Easy by William Shakespeare 1^st edition from Barron's in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
	King Richard III Cambridge School Shakespeare Series by William Shakespeare from Cambridge University Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	King Richard III Cambridge School Shakespeare Series by William Shakespeare from Cambridge University Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $13.00
	Macbeth Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Simon and Schuster for 9th-12th grade in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Macbeth by William Shakespeare from Barron's for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Macbeth Oxford School Shakespeare by William Shakespeare & Roma Gill, editor from Oxford University Historical Tragedy for 7th-10th grade in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.95
	Macbeth Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Simon and Schuster for 9th-12th grade in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Medea and Other Plays by Euripides from Penguin Putnam Drama for 9th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $11.00
	Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare from Dover Publications for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $3.00 $1.00 (9 in stock)
	Merchant of Venice Signet Classic by William Shakespeare, Edited by Kenneth Myrick from Penguin Putnam for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
	Merchant of Venice Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Simon and Schuster for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Merchant of Venice Illustrated Shakespeare by William Shakespeare, illustrated in color by Sir James D. Linton and in b/w by Sir John Gilbert from Gramercy Books for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
	Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Samuel Thurber, Jr. editor 1933 printing from Allyn and Bacon for 9th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $6.00 (2 in stock)
	Merry Wives of Windsor Illustrated Shakespeare by William Shakespeare, illustrated by Hugh Thomson from Gramercy Books for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
	Merry Wives of Windsor Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Simon and Schuster for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Midsummer Night's Dream Oxford School Shakespeare by William Shakespeare & Roma Gill, editor from Oxford University Comedy for 7th-10th grade in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.95
	Midsummer Night's Dream Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Washington Square Press Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Miracle Worker A Play in Three Acts by William Gibson from Pocket Books Drama for 7th-10th grade in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
	Miracle Worker by William Gibson from Charles Scribner's Sons for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $13.99
	Much Ado About Nothing Dover Thrift Editions by William Shakespeare from Dover Publications Comedy for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $3.00
	Much Ado About Nothing Folger Shakespeare Library by William Shakespeare from Simon and Schuster for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $9.99
	Oresteia Trilogy Agamemnon, The Libation-Bearers and The Furies Dover Thrift Editions by Aeschylus from Dover Publications Ancient Greek Tragedy for 9th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $5.00
	Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen from Heritage Press for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Prometheus Bound Dover Thrift Editions by Aeschylus from Dover Publications Ancient Greek Tragedy for 9th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $2.50
	Pygmalion Dover Thrift Editions by George Bernard Shaw from Dover Publications Drama/Comedy for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $3.00 $1.50 (2 in stock)
	Richard III Cambridge School Shakespeare Series by William Shakespeare from Dover Publications Historical Drama for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $4.00
	Shadowlands by William B. Nicholson from Samuel French for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $2.00 (9 in stock)
	Taming of the Shrew Barron's Shakespeare Made Easy by William Shakespeare from Barron's Comedy for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
	The Cid by Pierre Corneille from CreateSpace for 9th-Adult in 17th Century Literature (Location: LIT4-17) $6.99
	Twelfth Night or, What You Will by William Shakespeare from Barron's Comedy for 8th-12th grade in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $6.99 $4.50 (3 in stock)

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