English Literature: A Survey for Students

This slimmish book attempts no lesser task than to survey the whole of English literature, from the birth of the English language to the present day (or, more precisely, to the date when this 2nd edition was published, which was 1974).

As you might expect from the author of A Clockwork Orange and Tremor of Intent, it's extremely readable, a far cry from the usual academic podge — but none the less extremely well informed* and literate.

Of necessity, the amount of space dedicated to each work is quite short, although larger sections are devoted to particular writers. The author's evaluations of their various merits and demerits seemed to me very well judged (although of course your mileage may differ). There are also several appendices which I detail below.