The Chronology of American Literature is the perfect resource for anyone who wants to brush up on his or her literary knowledge, check a favorite author's work, or see a year's bestsellers at a glance. It's also ideal for discovering the larger trends in America's great literary past.
With more than 7,500 titles by 3,500 authors, this authoritative guide spotlights major and popular works of fiction and nonfiction, poems, and plays, authors' career milestones, the startup of literary journals, and much, much more. Here are anecdotes of well-known authors, such as James Fenimore Cooper, who wrote his first book based on a dare, and Edgar Allan Poe, who began his career as an acid-penned reviewer. Alongside traditional voices in the canon appear more recent notable writers, such as Ernest J. Gaines, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Sandra Cisneros. Each literary era is introduced by an overview that summarizes the trends, themes, and innovations of the times. Other features include
* brief entries organized by genre within each year
* abundant sidebars; 150 illustrations
* Pulitzer Prize winners at a glance
* a comprehensive index for quick searches
All entries have been reviewed by a distinguished editorial board.
