Books in the Critical Insights series

So much of great literature centres on explorations of gender, sex, and sexuality. What does it mean to be a proper man or woman; what if one cannot be properly called either? Should one wield one's sexual power politically? What is the relation between law, divine or secular, and sexuality? What does it mean to fail at doing gender? These are just some of the questions that this volume examines.

Tolstoy's epic novel is one of the most famous pieces of Russian literature and is on the short list of the most important works of literature in the world. This volume examines Tolstoy's unique achievement through a number of thought-provoking essays, and the interplay of the many genres of the text, including historical fiction, war drama, romance and realism.

Maya Angelou's ""I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"" took the world by storm when it was published in 1969. Despite controversy over its frank depiction of sexual abuse, the autobiography is widely read in high schools and colleges across the country. This title includes discussions of Maya Angelou's novel.