Encyclopedia of Contemporary Literary Theory: Approaches, Scholars, Terms

Dennis Denisoff teaches English at McGill University and is the author
of Dog Years.

Many academics have wished at various times that they had a text like
Irena Makaryk’s Encyclopedia of Contemporary Literary Theory at their
fingertips, in order quickly to clarify a key term or the general
orientation of a particular theory. This book consists of lucid and
concise synopses of various theoretical approaches, major theorists, and
currently popular terminology. As the title suggests, the volume is
divided into three sections, with the part on scholars taking up the
most room and that on terms taking up the least. In addition, each entry
includes a list of sources for further reading, ranging from one text to
dozens. All of the entries are cross-referenced and listed in an index
at the back of the book. Most literary academics, particularly students,
will find this encyclopedia extremely useful, if not indispensable.

Unfortunately, there is no index of individuals or terms for which
there are no individual entries, but which are mentioned in the text.
More serious are the book’s omissions. Neither analytic nor
rationalist approaches to literature are given major entries, and there
are no references given to queer theory, gay theory, lesbian theory,
gender theory, or most of the major theorists and central terms
associated with these contemporary and important fields. The oversight
seems especially peculiar in a book that professes an interest in making
“the work of lesser-known but important theories” more widely known.
Nonetheless, those approaches, scholars, and terms that are presented
are done so clearly, usefully, and with the concerns and interests of
the academic in mind.