“An ABC of English Literature” by Dr. M. Mofizar Rahman is a staple resource. It is designed as a concise, “alphabetical” guide—not in the sense of a dictionary, but as a fundamental primer covering the essentials of the English literary canon.
The book is structured to provide a bird’s-eye view of centuries of literary evolution. Here is what it typically covers:
- Chronological Eras: It breaks down English literature into its major periods, from the Old English (Anglo-Saxon) period to the Post-Modern era.
- Major Figures: It provides brief biographies and highlights the “magnum opus” of era-defining authors like Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, and T.S. Eliot.
- Literary Terms: It includes a dedicated section for literary movements (like Romanticism or Neoclassicism) and terminology (metaphor, irony, soliloquy, etc.).
- Quick Facts: The book is famous for its “at-a-glance” style, making it easy to memorize dates, titles, and famous quotes.

