The Western Canon: The Books and School of the AgesThe literary critic defends the importance of Western literature from Chaucer and Shakespeare to Kafka and Beckett in this acclaimed national bestseller.An impressive workdeeply, rightly passionate about the great books of the past.Michael Dirda, The Washington Post Book World Harold Bloom's The Western Canon is more than a required reading listit is a heroically brave, formidably learned defense of the great works of literature that comprise the