Reference Reviews

Reference for Students

Masterpieces of Non-Western World Literature. By Thomas L. Cooksey. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2007. 1 vol. 209 p. $55.00. ISBN 10: 0-313-33858-2; 13: 978-0-313-33858-8.

It is easy for teachers to concentrate on Western world literature as our classes fill with students whose culture and background is outside this Western tradition. To read the interpretive essays here introduces ten masterpieces from other parts of the world. Knowing about the works introduced in this book will help all students become more aware of appreciative of non-Western literature and cultures which are present in our multicultural American society. The ten chapters cover "The Epic of Gilgamesh" (c. 1600-1000 B.C.E.), "Mahabharata" (c. 350 B.C.E.-400 C.E.), "The Gitagovinda" (1185 C.E.), "Sundiata", the poetry of Li Po, "The Tale of Genji" (c. 1000 C.E.), "Journey to the West" (1592), "The Conference of Birds" (1177?), "The Tale of Kieu" (1813-1820), and "Quetzalcoatl". Each entry has a synopsis of the work, his historical and cultural context, themes, its subsequent influence, plot and structure development, character development, and a suggested bibliography. The appendix includes a 17-page bibliography. Literature teachers and students studying ancient history as well as modern world history will use this collection which will hopefully pique their curiosity for more non-Western literature.