English and History study guides, written by academics at the top of their field

Was Jane Austen's Emma a snob?

What was eating Curley's wife in Of Mice and Men?

Did Stalin have hobbies?

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Helena Bonham Carter on Connell Guides

Bringing Literature to Life

Our books tell you what the most interesting critics have said about great novels, plays and poems, providing an intelligent and informative discussion of the text.

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Great Reads In Their Own Right

Scholarly, yet approachable and entertaining - our history guides provide illuminating discourse on key figures, periods, and historical events.

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  • "For years I've struggled to find a way to help students understand set texts and what critics say about them. I genuinely think Connell Guides solve the problem."

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  • "Exceptionally well written, genuinely illuminating without sacrificing complexity to clarity, and beautifully produced."

    Professor Kiernan Ryan, English Language and Literature, University of London

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