Barthes'"S/Z: An Essay" offers ways of approaching critical problems not well dealt with in Anglo-American criticism.

Discusses building memory ability, Agatha Christie's and Sherlock Holmes' chemical abilities, and excerpts from now unpublished laboratory manuals. (SL)

One of America's foremost authors explores the unique paradox of the writer's craft in this country: a craft that, hedged by affluence and opportunity, is losing its self-esteem. The influence of American culture and experience on the individual's sense of purpose is noted. (Author/LBH)

A dramatization from a new work by black Harvard professor Derrick Bell is presented. In "And We Are Not Saved," the heroine describes how affirmative action at her university came to a screeching halt when it became too successful. (MLW)

A variety of children's and preteen books are reviewed, including several introductions to poetry and five books of fiction. The themes of the books are happiness, humor, and hope. (JL)

Situates the mid-nineteenth century feminine romance within its social, political, and historical context in order to reveal the cultural authority for its existence. Focuses on "The Lamplighter" by Maria Cummins as an archetypal novel representative of its genre. (SRT)

Studies mythic dimension of protagonists in novels by American Indian authors Scott Momaday and James Welch. Illustrates discrepancies between White readers' beliefs about Indians and Indian myths of the trickster and how mythologies affect interpretation of the novels. Contrasts use of myth by Indian authors Leslie Silko and Gerald Vizenor. (LFL)

Summarizes results of analysis of 209 reviews of fiction books for children and adolescents appearing in six major selection aids in 1979, and discusses classification of statements in reviews--descriptive (objective statements); analytical (literary elements); and sociological (nonliterary considerations). The Classification of Book Reviews form…

This study assessed whether relationships existed between home and school environment variables and computer literacy. Two of the home environment variables investigated appeared to be related to computer literacy. Students who viewed science fiction movies frequently and students whose families had contemplated buying home computers had…

Both the Russian novel "We" and the Anthony Burgess novel "A Clockwork Orange" offer frightening glimpses of a future society. But the contrast between these visions is striking. "We" is concerned with the misuse of technology, Burgess's book with the misuse of psychology. Both warn about the misuse of state power.…

Reviews a variety of books, both fiction and nonfiction, for young, intermediate, and older readers. Contains a special section of books with Christmas themes. (FL)

This book provides a straightforward approach to finding and recommending good novels based on what sparks a reader's interest. With emphasis on award-winning fiction, the guide features more than 500 novels published between 1990 and 2001. This companion title uses the same easy-access organization used in the original "Now Read This: A Guide to…

This paper describes an advanced English course at a Mexican university entitled, "Short Science Fiction Stories in English." The course is based on an ecological, co-emergent approach in which the various components of curriculum action are understood to exist in a dynamic and mutually specifying relationship. With this conceptual…

Taking off from the perception that the current critical climate blurs most meaningful distinctions between fiction and nonfiction, this book examines what happens when writers and readers encounter texts presented as nonfiction--texts that make some truth claim on outside experience, texts whose characters and events have at least some tangible…