This extraordinary anthology gathers together a tremendously broad selection of representative, authoritative writings - spanning antiquity to the present - from the most ancient non-Western civilizations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Key Topics: It combines extensive introductions, headnotes, and bibliographies with excellent contemporary translations of the best contemporary and classical writers. The selections reflect literary, religious, and philosophical traditions and reveal-despite cultural differences-the universality of life experiences. The publisher, Prentice Hall Publishers , April 2, 1999 The Best World Literature in the Best Literary Translations.

Summary This book is suitable both for the general reader and for courses in Asian Literature, African Literature, Latin American Literature, World Literature, and Non-Western Literature. It is also an excellent reader for Creative Writing courses at the beginning and at the advanced levels. This extraordinary anthology gathers together a broad selection of representative, authoritative writings -- spanning antiquity to the present -- from the non-Western civilizations of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It combines extensive introductions, headnotes, and bibliographies with excellent literary translations of the best contemporary and classical writers. The selections reflect literary, religious, and philosophical traditions and reveal -- despite cultural differences -- the universality of life experiences.

Provides substantial and representative selections -- featuring translations chosen with particular care with regard to literary quality. Includes a thorough general introduction, section introductions, and extensive headnotes that provide broad and specific contexts for the literary texts. Arranges selections into sections that represent cultural and national distinctions, and sub-sections that represent major cultural areas. Presents selections chronologically within each section. Orders sections to reveal models of cultural influence from section to section. Includes primary literary genres and forms (poetry, fiction, and drama) as well as key religious, philosophical, historical, aesthetic, biographical, and political texts that have literary merit. Features an extensive selection of Pre-Columbian and Post-Columbian oral and written literature in Native American languages. Charts in detail the chronology of major movements between nations and cultures of each continental division -- linguistic, literary, political, and religious. Contains up-to-date bibliographies.