One of the best ever textbooks for high school and core-level college literature courses. The selections are of high quality without being impossibly difficult, the text is of comfortable reading size, and the discussion questions actually help unpack the readings rather than take up space or insult the readers' intelligence. More textbooks like this one would go a long way toward making readers out of more people. ( )

The book contains many classic bits of short fiction, like "A Rose for Emily", "The Cask of Amontillado"; lyric and narrative poetry, "My Last Duchess", "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"; and so much more content. They're arranged in groups that display some common characteristic; there is a group of poems that deal with metaphor, another with personification and simile. Many of these works are those I remember from school and still love. (Yes, I'm a word nerd, and proud of it!) I forsee many hours of perusal and enjoyment from this found treasure.