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The author comments on a new copy of Christophe Marlowe's play "Edward II." According to the author, the volume's obscurity can be attributed to modern misperceptions of the text of a Renaissance English drama. He cites some of the textual mysteries underlying the play. He describes the play as a theological-juridical text associated in some aspects with heresy. He says the play highlighted the existence of homosexuality in Germany and England.

The article focuses on the history of literature in Latvia. Topics discussed include the collection of donated volumes and collection of notes called Dainas, folk songs on Latvian cultural history in the library called Castle of Light designed by modernist architect Gunnar Birkerts, poetic works of author Janis Plieksans who used the nom de plume Rainis, and his wife Elza, nicknamed as Aspazija, and sovietization of Lativian literature during World War II.

A literary criticism of the book "The Great British Dream Factory: The Strange History of Our National Imagination," by Dominic Sandbrook is presented. Topics discussed include analyzing of the British culture and the meaning of the modern popular culture, the discussion on television series and their relation to Shakespeare, and the attention on the country house.

The article focuses on the challenges of adapting the ballads from the novel "Don Quixote" written by Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. Topics discussed include Spanish ballad "The Ballad of the Raven" where King Arthur is turned by Merlin into a raven, role of fictional character Sancho Panza in the novel, and understanding ballads through books such as "Some Spanish Ballads" by W.S. Merwin and "The Penguin Book of Spanish Verse" by Colin Smith.

Literary criticisms of the books "That Shelf-Forgetful Perfectly Useless Concentration" by Alan Shapiro and "At Large: Essays, Memoirs, Interviews" by John Matthias. Topics include the troubled life of Shapiro as addressed in his prose, Shapiro's observations that social conventions resemble poetic rhythm and syntax and the allusive and information-oriented verses of Matthias.

The article presents the author's view on the decline of literary critics of the quality of LIonel Trilling and Leslie Fiedler, as the source of guidance to the modern reader. Details related to the rise and impact of university presses, along with literary quotes from classical literature, are presented.

The author looks at the poetry of Clere Parsons, who was known for criticizing prose and poetry works of Anthony Abbott. The "Listener" referred Parsons as a formalist who combines entrancing poetic patterns with lyrical emptions while his posthumous anthology "Poems," was considered beyond a tribute to him since he passed away in 1931. The poems Parsons made in his career include "Some Melody of Words Continues On," "Photogravure" and "The Morning Smells Chaste."

A literary criticism of the book "Bannockburns: Scottish Independence and Literary Imagination 1314-2014" by Robert Crawford is presented. It contends that literature's history is directed to specific past its future political agenda. It notes the mismatch of the literary and political agenda of the book. The international perspective of the Scottish writers and their involvement to translation is pointed out.

A reply by the author is presented in response to letters from the April 24, 2009 issue regarding his review of "The Edinburgh History of the Book in Scotland."

The article discusses James Bond series author Ian Flemming and his experience reading the periodical "Times Literary Supplement." The author profiles Flemming's literary career in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including the researching and writing of his travel book "Thrilling Cities" and his hobby of collecting books.