-
Adam, Antoine. Littérature Française. 2 vols.
Paris: Larousse, 1967-68.
- SML Reference PQ101 +A32
- A glossy but informative reference history. Contains a series of separate
chapters by specialists on broad eras of French literary history (De la
Renaissance au Baroque, Voies Diverses de la Modernité, etc.) with
subsections on particular schools, forms, and authors. Each volume ends with
a selective bibliography, an index, and a detailed table of contents which
greatly facilitates its use. For two earlier illustrated reference histories
of very similar design and scope, see:
Histoire de la Littérature Française Illustrée.
Ed. by Joseph Bédier and Paul Hazard. 2 vols. Paris: Larousse, 1926-27.
- SML Reference PQ101 +H57 1926
- Lanson, Gustave. Histoire Illustrée de la Littérature
Française. 2 vols. Paris: Hachette, 1925-26.
- SML Reference PQ101 +L347 1925
-
Boisdeffre, Pierre de. Histoire de la littérature de langue
française des années 1930 aux années 1980. Nouv.
ed. entierement ref. Paris: Libr. academique Perrin, 1985. 2 v.
- CCL Reference PQ305 B56 1985
- SML Reference PQ305 B56 1985
- Contents: v. 1, Roman, théâtre; v. 2, Poésie, idées,
dictionnaire des auteurs. A thorough history by a well-established critic
covering French and Francophone literature. Especially useful for the 500-page
biobibliographical dictionary of authors in v. 2. Each volume has a name index
and a detailed table of contents. In addition to the dictionary, v. 2 provides
a chronology, list of literary award winners, and a bibliography. References
also are provided in the text. [Balay BE1168]
- Histoire de la Littérature Française, Publiée
sous la Direction de Jean Calvet. Paris: 1931 - in progress
- SML: PQ101 H58
- A series of substantial volumes equipped with equally substantial bibliographies
by specialists in the principal periods and movements of French literature.
Vol. 1 Le Moyen Age, by Robert Bossuat; Vol. 2-3 La Renaissance,
by Raoul Morçay; Vol. 4 Les Ecrivains Classiques, by Henri Gaillard
de Champris; Vol. 5 La Littérature Religieuse de François
de Sales à Fénelon, by Jean Calvet; Vol. 6 De Télémaque
à Candide, by Albert Cherel; Vol. 7 De Candide à Atala,
by Henri Berthaut; Vol. 8 Le Romantisme, by Pierre Moreau; Vol. 9 Le
Realisme, by Rene Dumesnil; Vol. 10 Les Letters Contemporaines,
by Louis Chaigne. During the 1950s and 1960s the entire set was updated and
some titles were completely rewritten.
-
Histoire Littéraire de la France: Ouvrage Commencé
par des Religieux Bénédictins de la Congrégation de Saint
Maur, et Continué par des Membres de l'Institut (Académie des
Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres). Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1733 - in
progress.
- SML: Hf51 O3
- The first volume of this vast project appeared in 1733. 241 years and 40
tomes later it has not yet extricated itself from the 14th century and its
earlier issues have themselves become phenomena of literary history. If it
is ever completed it will provide the most detailed history of French literature
in existence. Each volume contains extremely full and thoroughly documented
articles by specialists on the lives and works of individual authors, including
many obscure figures, and some chapters on general literary topics. Index
to volumes 1-15 issued separately in 1875 (SML: Hf51 O3A 1-15); index to vol.
16-23 in vol. 23; to vol. 25-32 in vol. 32; to vol. 33-38 in vol. 38.
- A Literary History of France. Ed. by P. E. Charvet. 5 vols. London:
Benn, 1967-74.
- CCL: PQ103 L58
- Vol. 1 The Middle Ages and the Renaissance, by J.P. Collas; Vol.
2 The Seventeenth Century, 1600-1715, by P. J. Yarrow; Vol. 3 The
Eighteenth Century, 1715-1789, by Robert Niklaus; Vol. 4 The Nineteenth
Century, 1789-1870, by P.E. Charvet; Vol. 5 The Nineteenth and Twentieth
Centuries, 1870-1940, by P.E. Charvet.
A handy set of surveys, well planned, reasonably up to date, and in English.
Formats vary but most authors divide their attention equally between general
trends and individual writers. Each volume includes a selective bibliography.
-
A New history of French literature. Edited by Denis Hollier;
with R. Howard Bloch ... [et al.]. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press,
1989.
- CCL: PQ119 N48 1989
- Presents essays by individual scholars built around a particular date and
theme, beginning with Roland's death in 778 and ending Sept. 27, 1985, the
500th broadcast of "Apostrophes" on Antenne 2. Covers French literature outside
France (e. g., the Négritude movement in Martinique) and political
or social events that influenced literature (e. g.., the Dreyfus affair).
Each essay includes a short bibliography; a chronology, map, and general index
conclude the volume. [Balay BE1174]
- Petit de Julleville, Louis. Histoire de la Langue et de la Littérature
Française des Origines à 1900. 8 vols. Paris: A. Colin,
1910-24.
- SML Reference PQ101 P47 1910
- An old but valuable reference history. Volumes 1 and 2 cover Le Moyen
Age, des Origines à 1500; Vol. 3 Seizième Siècle;
Vol. 4 Dix-Septième Siècle: Deuxième Partie: 1661-1700;
Vol. 6 Dix-Huitième Siècle; Vol. 7 Dix-Neuvième
Siècle: Période Romantique; Vol. 8 Dix-Neuviè
Siècle: Période Contemporaine. Each volume contains a number
of separate, signed articles by experts on various aspects of the literary
history of the world in question, including some arcane ones (e.g. L'Art
Français au XVIIe Siècle dans ses Rapports avec la
Littérature, Ecrivains et Orateurs Politiques de 1814 à 1852,
La Presse au XIXe Siècle). Every chapter includes a
bibliography.
Jeffry Larson
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