The content of the book was summarized as follows: " A Short History of World Literature " was a book that introduced world literature from ancient times to the present. The author was an American named William James. The book was divided into two volumes, which analyzed and evaluated the literature of various countries in the world in detail from the perspectives of ancient Greek literature, medieval literature, Renaissance literature, Baroque literature, romanticism literature, realism literature, modern literature, and so on. In the first volume of the book, ancient Greek literature was emphasized, including Homer's classic works such as the Iliad and the Odysey. Medieval literature included the literary status of the Bible, the works of Renaissance poets such as Da Vinci and William shakespeare, and the artistic achievements of music and painting during the Baroque period. In the second volume, the author introduced the rise of romantic literature, including the music and literary works of Bach, Chopin, and others, as well as the development of realistic literature, including the works of Russia, the United States, London, and others. In addition, the book also focused on analyzing the achievements of modern literature, including the works of Ernest, Faulkner, Calvino, and others. A brief history of world literature is a comprehensive and systematic encyclopedia of literature. It has important reference value for understanding the development and evolution of literature in various countries.