Defoe occupies a central place in the history of English literature. As the author of Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders he can claim to be the creator of the first novels in English, and he was one of the earliest practitioners of the 'desert island' myth which has had such an influence on the human imagination. In A Journal of the Plague Year and A Tour through the Whole Island of Great Britain he forged a distinctive documentary style which deeply influenced later writers.

Providing a ready access to the main facts of Poe's life and career, this Chronology will be of service to the student, scholar or general reader who wishes to check a point quickly without referring to the detailed narratives offered by the standard biographies. The Chronology includes details of Poe's works, both those published in his lifetime and those which appeared posthumously. There is a full index of persons, places and works referred to.

George Orwell is now acknowledged as one of the most significant literary figures of the twentieth century. As novelist, essayist and author of a number of outstanding works of reportage he has exercised an influence on modern thought which is increasingly being recognised. In this new work J.R. Hammond offers a definitive chronology of Orwell, which takes account of the latest research into his life and times and provides an overview of the life of a major writer.

Taking account of the latest research, this study shows how Stevenson lived an incredibly active life, during which he travelled widely, wrote a large amount of fiction, essays and poetry, and was always eager to journey on to the next place or embark on a new literary project.