Books in Literature Guides series

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background.In CliffsNotes on Moby-Dick, you follow along this great American novel; the turbulent and adventurous story of a sea captain's obsession with a white whale.This study guide shares a story about defiance, friendship, duty, and death — all immersed in symbolism, such as the white whale, itself. You'll gain comfort with the dark and complicated plot as you move through critical commentaries on each of the novel's 135 chapters. Other features that help you figure out this important work includeLife and background of the author, Herman MelvilleAnalyses of the charactersIntroduction to the novelA review section that tests your knowledge and suggests essay topicsA selected bibliography that leads you to more great resourcesClassic literature or modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.CliffsNotes on Inherit the Wind is an illuminating guide to the Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee play about the evolution-versus-creationism debate. Chapter summaries and expert analysis provide insight into the central conflict between fundamentalist Matthew Harrison Brady and gifted orator Henry Drummond. The townspeople in this play also dramatize what freedom of thought—as well as "the right to be wrong"—truly mean. Other features that help you study includeCharacter analyses of major playersA character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the charactersCritical essays on the play's themes, conflicts, and moreA review section that tests your knowledgeBackground information on the playwrights and their partnershipClassic literature or modern-day treasure—you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format. In CliffsNotes on Things Fall Apart, you explore the ground-breaking work of author Chinua Achebe, considered by many to be the most influential African writer of his generation. The novel, amazing in its authenticity, leaves behind the stereotypical portrayals of African life and presents the Igbo culture of Nigeria in all its remarkable complexity. Chapter summaries and commentaries take you through Achebe's world, and critical essays give you insight into the novel's themes and use of language. Other features that help you study include Character analyses of the main characters A character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the characters A section on the life and background of Chinua Achebe A review section that tests your knowledge A Resource Center full of books, articles, films, and Internet sitesClassic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

REA's MAXnotes for Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird MAXnotes offer a fresh look at masterpieces of literature, presented in a lively and interesting fashion. Written by literary experts who currently teach the subject, MAXnotes will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the work. MAXnotes are designed to stimulate independent thought about the literary work by raising various issues and thought-provoking ideas and questions. MAXnotes cover the essentials of what one should know about each work, including an overall summary, character lists, an explanation and discussion of the plot, the work's historical context, illustrations to convey the mood of the work, and a biography of the author. Each chapter is individually summarized and analyzed, and has study questions and answers.

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also features glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.CliffsNotes on Anthem is an excellent introduction to Ayn Rand’s philosophy of human nature. The novella’s theme and central conflict—the individual versus the collective—is an important element of her moral and political philosophy.This study guide will help you understand the story of Anthem which takes place in an unnamed Communist- or Facist-like dictatorship of the future. Meet the hero, Equality 7-2521, a brilliant young man who yearns to be a scientist but is held back by a government that fears his intelligence. Your grasp on this novella will be strong with these features that help you study:Character analyses of major playersA character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the charactersCritical essaysA review section that tests your knowledgeA ResourceCenter full of books, articles, films, and Internet sitesClassic literature or modern-day treasure—you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

REA's MAXnotes for William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom! MAXnotes offer a fresh look at masterpieces of literature, presented in a lively and interesting fashion. Written by literary experts who currently teach the subject, MAXnotes will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the work. MAXnotes are designed to stimulate independent thought about the literary work by raising various issues and thought-provoking ideas and questions. MAXnotes cover the essentials of what one should know about each work, including an overall summary, character lists, an explanation and discussion of the plot, the work's historical context, illustrations to convey the mood of the work, and a biography of the author. Each chapter is individually summarized and analyzed, and has study questions and answers.

REA's MAXnotes for Ovid's The Metamorphoses of OvidMAXnotes offer a fresh look at masterpieces of literature, presented in a lively and interesting fashion. Written by literary experts who currently teach the subject, MAXnotes will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the work. MAXnotes are designed to stimulate independent thought about the literary work by raising various issues and thought-provoking ideas and questions.MAXnotes cover the essentials of what one should know about each work, including an overall summary, character lists, an explanation and discussion of the plot, the work's historical context, illustrations to convey the mood of the work, and a biography of the author. Each chapter is individually summarized and analyzed, and has study questions and answers.

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.In CliffsNotes on The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, you experience the exciting adventures of a typical boy during the mid-nineteenth century. The characters—Tom himself, Becky Thatcher, Huck Finn, Injun Joe, and Aunt Polly—have become part of American heritage.Use this study guide to help you discover all of Tom’s dreams and fears—and perhaps a few of your own! You'll also gain insight into the man behind this American classic—Mark Twain, a.k.a. Samuel Clemens. Other features that help you study include Character analyses of major playersA character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the charactersCritical essaysA review section that tests your knowledgeA Resource Center full of books, articles, films, and Internet sitesClassic literature or modern-day treasure—you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background.In CliffsNotes on Mythology, you'll review the myths from seven different cultures and gain an overview of the stories that people have lived by from ancient times to the present. The gods and their stories depict life's lessons and personal relationships and present a moral code of human conduct. These stories are also a map to understanding history.This CliffsNotes guide covers Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, Greek, Roman, and Norse mythologies, as well as the Arthurian legends. Features that help you figure out these important works includeAn introduction to mythologyThe main gods of various culturesReview questionsRecommended readingsGenealogical tables of major godsClassic literature or modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.