Merriam-Webster\'s Encyclopedia of Literature

It is at this sort of comprehensive coverage of the literatures of the world that the present work aims. Merriam-Webstre’s Encyclopedia of Literature merges the lexical work for which Merriam-Webster dictionaries have long been known—defining, pronunciation, and etymology—with the extensive and varied yet rigorously edited and verified information that typifies Encyclopedia Britannica. The editorial staff of this volume includes members of both organizations. Together they have created a singular—and they hope singularly useful—product. Students, teachers, writers, editors—anyone who reads for pleasure—will delight in this intriguing collection of literary facts and interpretation. Merriam-Webstre’s Encyclopedia of Literature is an indispensable reference for serious students and browsers alike. First published in 1768 in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Encyclopedia Britannica is the oldest continuously published reference work in the english language. The editorial staff of the Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. draws on the advice and contributions of thousands of the world’s leading scholars and makes frequent revisions and updates to the encyclopedia to maintain its leading position as one of the finest reference works in the world today.