Literature and Culture Handbooks are an innovative series of guides to major periods, topics and authors in British and American literature and culture. Designed to provide a comprehensive, one-stop resource for literature students, each handbook provides the essential information and guidance needed from the beginning of a course through to developing more advanced knowledge and skills. Written in clear language by leading academics, they provide an indispensable introduction to key topics, including: . Introduction to authors, texts, historical and cultural contexts . Guides to key critics, concepts and topics . An overview of major critical approaches, changes in the canon and directions of current and future research . Case studies in reading literary and critical texts . Annotated bibliography (including websites), timeline, glossary of critical terms.The Shakespeare Handbook is an accessible and comprehensive introduction to Shakespeare and early modern literature.