Chapter and Verse: A Readers History of English Literature

Presents a personal and thematic journey through English literature from Chaucer to the present Chapter and Verse: A Reader's History of English Literature offers a compelling reimagining of literary history-one that places the reader's experience at the heart of the narrative.Unlike traditional surveys of English literature that prioritize chronology and critical consensus, Peter Brown's approach emphasizes the subjective, evolving relationship between reader and text.This unique perspective addresses a long-standing gap in the field, emphasizing the emotional and intellectual engagements that shape how literature is received, remembered, and reinterpreted across a lifetime.Structured around thematic chapters-such as “Performance,” “Fragments,” and “Home”- Chapter and Verse spans the medieval to the contemporary, exploring Chaucer, Shakespeare, Eliot, and other canonical figures alongside neglected or overlooked authors such as Charlotte Dacre and Abdulrazak Gurnah.Each chapter blends