The first edition of Lord Ifor Evans A Short History of English Literature was acclaimed by Ivor Brown in the Observer as follows: Professor Evans writes to the classical model, as brief, as lucid. He relates the arts to society instead of penning them in the study. As a judge he is tolerant and undogmatic, but never slack in his standards. He is fair to all and gushes over none... This justice of approach is coupled with a mastery of phrase which makes the writing lively without being exhaustingly exhibitionist in Judgment or epigrammatic in style. Since its first appearance it has served countless readers as a perceptive, reliable and readable guide. This fourth edition, revised and extended by Bernard Bergonzi to include the major poets, dramatists and novelists of the present day, provides an invaluable and comprehensive map to the broad field of English literature.
