Sam Leith Sam Leith

Look! Shakespeare! Wow! George Eliot! Criminy! Jane Austen!

John Sutherland isn't known for subtlety, so use his Little History of Literature as a galloping guidebook

Top of the happiness scale: Chaucer’s Canterbury Pilgrims (English School, 15th century). Getty Images
  • Comments

  • A Little History of Literature

    John Sutherland

    Yale, pp. 275

Already a subscriber? Log in

This article is for subscribers only

Subscribe today to get 3 months' delivery of the magazine, as well as online and app access, for only £3.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

  • Weekly delivery of the magazine
  • Unlimited access to our website and app
  • Enjoy Spectator newsletters and podcasts
  • Explore our online archive, going back to 1828

Read next

Trending

Katy Balls

Plotters set out ‘100 days’ policy plan to rival Sunak

Katy Balls
It’s the week of the local elections and the most pivotal of Rishi Sunak’s premiership to date. It’s been clear for some time now that the Prime Minister’s critics will attempt to rally MPs to turn on Sunak if the party faces a drubbing in Thursday’s vote. This is more than the odd unhappy MP:

Because you read about book review

Also by Sam Leith

Latest

Comments

A blooming good offer

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting the next 3 months for £3.

Already a subscriber? Log in