This guide to eighteenth-century literature and culture provides students with the ideal introduction to literature and its context from 1688-1789, including: the historical, cultural and intellectual background including the expansion of cultural production and the growth of "print culture"; major writers, genres and groups; concise explanations of key terms needed to understand the literature and criticism; an overview of key critical approaches; a chronology mapping historical events and literary works; and a guide to further reading, including websites and electronic resources.