Living Literature

Richard Jacobs is an Honorary Fellow at the University of Brighton, UK. He has previously authored A Beginner’s Guide to Critical Reading (2001), Literature in Our Lives (2020), and Literature and the Critics (2022) all published by Routledge.Sean McEvoy is a fellow of Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge. His recent books include Shakespeare: The Basics (4th edition; 2024), and Theatrical Unrest: Ten Riots in the History of the Stage, 1601-2004 (2017) both published by Routledge.Martin Nichols was formerly Head of English at a Sixth Form College and is currently a Senior Examiner for one of the major examination boards

This crucially important book comes at a critical moment for the subject. The editors and contributors include national leaders in debates about English at secondary level: everyone teaching, or supporting, the discipline should read this book and engage with its ideas and arguments.- Robert Eaglestone, Royal Holloway, University of London‘This book hurts. It's a story of stories: how and why reading, thinking, talking and writing about literature in schools is under threat. But this is no view from on high - it comes hot from the chalkface (the bookface, actually) with thousands of hours of hard work in the classroom to back up what's being said here. That's why this book is authentic and urgent.’ Michael Rosen, author.

• Notes on ContributorsIntroductionChapter One: In Decline: A Level English Literature TodayRichard Jacobs, Sean McEvoy and Martin NicholsChapter Two: The Introductory CourseRichard JacobsChapter Three: Othello - Teaching A Level for the First TimeA. A. TyrrellChapter Four: King Lear and the Pleasures of the Chunky TextCarol AthertonChapter Five: ‘O, brave new world!’ Teaching The TempestJo SolivaChapter Six: ‘Slippery Iced Pavements’ – Teaching and Directing The Duchess of MalfiCathy O’NeillChapter Seven: Finding Paradise LostSammy WrightChapter Eight: Paradise Lost: ‘A jangling noise of words unknown’Camellia FioreChapter Nine: Close ReadingMalcolm HebronChapter Ten: ‘Life’ and History: Teaching Tess of the D’UrbervillesSean McEvoyChapter Eleven: Teaching Wide Sargasso SeaBarbara BleimanChapter Twelve: Death of a Salesman: Even Now, Now, Very Now: Attention Must Be PaidMartin NicholsChapter Thirteen: Beckett, Theatre and the A Level Classroom: Waiting for GodotRichard JacobsChapter Fourteen: Poetry, Pleasure and Pedagogy: the Joy of Meaning-MakingGary SnapperChapter Fifteen: The Difference between ‘lie’ and ‘lay: Giving Students the Right Tools to Thinkabout The Handmaid’s TaleAlice JahanpourChapter Sixteen: Conclusion: A Manifesto for ChangeThe editors and contributorsIndex