The Oxford English Literary History is the new century's definitive account of a rich and diverse literary heritage that stretches back for a millennium and more. This volume covers 1645 to 1714, which saw the rise of new media forms, and transformations in performance spaces, bookselling, and the concept of authorship.
1645-1714: The Later Seventeenth Century is a splendid achievement in its breadth and detail. Undergraduate and graduate students would gain much from reading it. Scholars of any period will appreciate the excellent citations and bibliography of secondary sources. All readers interested in women and literature will be impressed by the range of voices and detail given to develop the field's understanding of women authors and audiences in the late seventeenth century.