The book includes materials that give a holistic view of the development of literature and philological thought in the 20th century. in Russia, European countries, North and Latin America, Australia, Asia, Africa. The authors pay attention to the widest possible range of directions in the development of literature of this time, drawing on materials that were not previously included in books and textbooks on world artistic culture. For teachers of world artistic culture, literature, high school students, students of humanities faculties of secondary specialized and higher educational institutions, as well as for a wide range of readers interested in cultural history. The manuscript was approved at a meeting of the Academic Council of the Institute of Art Education of the Russian Academy of Education on December 12, 2006, protocol No. 9.