Studying 'genre' is perhaps one of the most familiar ways of approaching literary texts, and the realist novel is one of the most distinct genres of all. Straightforward without being simplistic, and enormously readable, The Realist Novel guides the student through the fundamentals of this enduring literary form. The contributors look at two aspects of genre, the formal and historical, and show how writers such as Jane Austen and Charles Dickens used the realist novel to tell profoundly moral tales in a popular way. The contributors also examine how some writers, such as Mary Shelley, challenged the genre's 'mainstream' characteristics to great and lasting effect. Among the texts closely studies are: * Pride and Prejudice * Great Expectations * Fathers and Sons * Frankenstein A selection of key critical texts is included in Part Two: these help to develop the reader's understanding of the issues raised in context. The emphasis throughout is upon practice not theory, and each chapter offers exercises in reading and studying literature. The Realist Novel is a thoroughly up-to-date and well informed volume which provides an enjoyable way of approaching literature. Richard Allen and Stephen Regan, Open University; Pam Morris, Liverpool John Moores University; Glyn Turton, Chester College of Higher Education