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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	Adventures of Robin Hood Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by Paul Creswick, illustrated by N. C. Wyeth 1991 Edition from Reader's Digest for 6th-12th grade in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $8.00 (3 in stock)
	Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by John Tenniel from Macmillan Fantasy for 7th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $18.00 (1 in stock)
	Children of Odin The Book of Northern Myths by Padraic Colum, illustrated by Willy Pogany from Macmillan Norse Mythology for 3rd-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $40.00 (1 in stock)
	Children's Stories from Dickens by Charles Dickens, Mary Angela Dickens from Gramercy Books for 3rd-7th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens from Bantam Books for 6th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $3.95
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti Unabridged from Stewart, Tabori, & Chang Fantasy for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by P.J. Lynch Unabridged from Candlewick Press Fantasy for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $19.99
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Robert Ingpen Unabridged from Palazzo Editions Limited Fantasy for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $24.99
	Complete Tales of Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris, retold by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney from Dial Press Animal Fantasy for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $50.00
	D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from New York Review of Books Norse Mythology for 3rd-8th grade in Oversized Picture Books (Location: PIC-OVER) $29.95
	Diamond Path Tibetan & Mongolian Myth Time-Life Myth & Mankind from Time-Life Books for 7th-Adult in Time-Life Myth & Mankind Series (Location: FIC-MYTH) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	ECL: Call of the Wild Educator Classic Library #11 by Jack London, illustrated by Ron King Complete and Unabridged Edition from Classic Press Action/Adventure for 7th-10th grade in Educator Classic Library (Location: VIN-ECL) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Eternal Cycle Indian Myth Time-Life Myth & Mankind from Time-Life Books for 7th-Adult in Time-Life Myth & Mankind Series (Location: FIC-MYTH) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Favourite Tales from Grimm and Andersen by Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated by Jirí Trnka 1983 Printing from Paul Hamlyn for 4th-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $18.00 (1 in stock)
	Frankenstein Everyman's Library by Mary Shelley from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Horror for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $22.00
	Gift of the Magi by O. Henry, illustrated by Kevin King from Simon and Schuster for 4th-10th grade in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Gift of the Magi and Other Stories by O. Henry, illustrated by P. J. Lynch from Candlewick Press for 4th-10th grade in Christmas & Advent (Location: HOLIDAY) $17.99
	Gods of Sun & Sacrifice Aztec & Maya Myth Time-Life Myth & Mankind from Time-Life Books for 7th-Adult in Time-Life Myth & Mankind Series (Location: FIC-MYTH) $7.00 (1 in stock)
	Hobbit There and Back Again by J. R. R. Tolkien from Houghton Mifflin Fantasy for 5th-9th grade in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $19.99
	Hobbit, The by J.R.R. Tolkien from Houghton Mifflin for 5th-Adult in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $35.00
	Hobbit, The by J.R.R. Tolkien from Houghton Mifflin for 5th-Adult in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $40.00
	Hound of the Baskervilles Oxford Children's Classics by Arthur Conan Doyle from Oxford University for 7th-Adult in Mystery & Suspense (Location: FIC-MYS) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	How the Heather Looks A Joyous Journey to the British Sources of Children's Books by Joan Bodger Reprint from Living Book Press for 7th-Adult in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $24.99
	It's Perfectly True and Other Stories by Hans Christian Andersen, translated by Paul Leyssac and illustrated by Richard Bennett from Harcourt, Brace & World for 5th-10th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Journeys through Dreamtime Oceanian Myth Time-Life Myth & Mankind from Time-Life Books for 7th-Adult in Time-Life Myth & Mankind Series (Location: FIC-MYTH) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Jungle Books Macmillan Classics by Rudyard Kipling, illustrated by Robert Shore from Macmillan Animal Stories for 7th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $15.00 (1 in stock)
	Land of the Dragon Chinese Myth Time-Life Myth & Mankind from Time-Life Books for 7th-Adult in Time-Life Myth & Mankind Series (Location: FIC-MYTH) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Life of Our Lord Written for His Children During the Years 1846 to 1849 by Charles Dickens from Simon and Schuster for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $16.00
	Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery, translated by Richard Howard from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Fantasy for 3rd-Adult in Everyman's Library Children's Classics (Location: FIC-ELC) $18.00
	Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery from Harcourt Fantasy for 3rd-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Mother Earth, Father Sky Native American Myth Time-Life Myth & Mankind from Time-Life Books for 7th-Adult in Time-Life Myth & Mankind Series (Location: FIC-MYTH) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Mythology Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton from Black Dog & Leventhal Mythology for 7th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $29.99
	Paddington Here and Now Paddington Bear #12 by Michael Bond from HarperCollins for 3rd-7th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $9.99
	Penrod by Booth Tarkington, illustrated by Gordon Grant from Grosset & Dunlap Realistic Fiction for 7th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $14.00 (1 in stock)
	Poor Richard's Almanack by Benjamin Franklin from Peter Pauper Press for 7th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $10.95 $7.00 (1 in stock)
	Realm of the Rising Sun Japanese Myth Time-Life Myth & Mankind from Time-Life Books for 7th-Adult in Time-Life Myth & Mankind Series (Location: FIC-MYTH) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Robinson Crusoe (abridged) by Daniel Defoe, illustrated by Frank Godwin from John C. Winston for 5th-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $16.00 (1 in stock)
	Romance of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table (abridged) by Sir Thomas Mallory, illustrated by Arthur Rackham from Weathervane Books for 7th-12th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Tasha Tudor from J.B. Lippincott Co. Realistic Fiction for 4th-9th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Tasha Tudor from J.B. Lippincott Co. Realistic Fiction for 4th-9th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Secret Garden OSI by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Tasha Tudor from HarperCollins Realistic Fiction for 4th-9th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Shropshire Lad The Living Library by A. E. Housman, Illustrated by Jeanne Edwards from World Publishing Company for 7th-12th grade in Vintage Poetry (Location: VIN-POET) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Story of Siegfried by James Baldwin, illustrated by Peter Hurd from Charles Scribner's Sons for 5th-8th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $35.00 (1 in stock)
	Story of Siegfried by James Baldwin, illustrated by Peter Hurd from Yesterday's Classics for 5th-8th grade in Myths, Fairy Tales & Folklore for Children (Location: FIC-MYT) $14.95
	Tales from the Perilous Realm by J. R. R. Tolkien, illustrated by Alan Lee from Houghton Mifflin for 7th-12th grade in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $28.00
	Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain from SeaWolf Press for 7th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $6.95
	Tom Sawyer Abroad and Other Stories by Mark Twain from Grosset & Dunlap for 7th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Translations from the Chinese by Arthur Waley from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. for 6th-Adult in Vintage Poetry (Location: VIN-POET) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Treasure Island Windermere Readers #16 by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Milo Winter 1954 Edition from Rand McNally for 5th-10th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $9.00 (2 in stock)

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