Reading List: Literary and Cultural Theory, The Basics

As promised, here's a short reading list for those of you who are perhaps wanted to read more about literary and cultural theory. So this is a kind of a 101 list primarily focusing on literary theory but with the idea that one can apply many of the same theories to other forms.

I recorded a slightly rambly video (watchable above) in which I chat about these books and why I picked them above but if you don't want to sit through that (which I wouldn't blame you for!!) then the list is also below.

Finally, do let me know any feedback and I'll bare it in mind for future lists.

I hope you find this useful and thanks as ever for your generous support!

Reading List

1. Beginning Theory by Peter Barry
This is a great introductory book to a number of different theoretical approaches to analysing and interpreting literature and other cultural forms. It makes some different decisions than I might have in where it decides to go into detail and where it refrains from doing so but it's a great overview and used by many universities in their first year reading lists.

2. Literary Theory: An Introduction by Terry Eagleton
This is similar to the above but takes a slightly different approach. It's far more lengthy and goes into a lot more detail however is fairly engagingly-written and so I would say worth picking up. It also takes far more interest in the people who came up with some of these ideas and the institutions (such as universities or research groups) from where they emanated. For this reason, I find it quite endearing as it feels much more human rather than just being about abstract ideas.

3. Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society by Raymond Williams
This is essentially a glossary of key terms in literary and cultural theory. It was written as a companion to Williams' Culture and Society but you don't have to have read or have any intention of reading that book to find a lot of interest in this one. It's a great point of reference for anyone seeking to understand the relationship being culture and the society that produces it and can be dipped into and out of.

4. Mythologies by Roland Barthes
My love of Roland Barthes is no secret. Mythologies is essentially an anthology of articles Barthes wrote early in his career. It's perhaps an odd choice to include here but I find it a great example of how cultural analysis can be done. Barthes also turns his attention to lots of different topics analysing everything from Soap Adverts to Wrestling to Wine. It's good fun and I find it quite inspirational.

5. Something Discipline Specific
So, this is more of a general suggestion but, although there is much that different cultural forms have in common, they also have much that it specific to them. My last suggestion would thus be to find a book which similarly introduces theoretical ideas but in relation to the specific form that you are interested in. If you are interested in film, for instance, Film Theory & Criticism, an anthology edited by Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen, will give you a. good overview of the key ideas existing around film, many of which will relate to the broader ideas introduced in Barry and Eagleton's books but specifically apply them to film (and sometimes take them in completely different directions!). Similarly, if you're interested in visual art, Art Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Cynthia Freeland might be of interest.