Hello all, next year I'm taking a course in which it's recommended to have some background knowledge on the history of european literature. Do you know any books that will give me a sufficient overview on this topic? Thanks in advance!
I would highly recommend Joep Leerssen's National Thought in Europe: A Cultural History (Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam Press, 2006). Although it explores the origins of ideas such as nationalism, patriotism, and community in Europe, Leerssen also examines some of the ways in which European literature has reinforced notions of community across the continent from the medieval era to the twentieth century. In this context, most historians recommend Benedict Anderson's eminent book, Imagined Communities from 1983, but I would argue Leerssen's is a more cogent, sophisticated look at similar topics.
I hope this help.
This would be worth x-posting to /r/AskLiteraryStudies