Books in the Historical Guides to American Authors series

A Historical Guide to James Fenimore Cooper features new critical essays by noted American literature scholars, Gerald Kennedy, John P. McWilliams, Dana Nelson, and Barbara Mann, as well as a brief biography by authorized Cooper biographer Wayne Franklin and a survey of Cooper scholarship and criticism and bibliography by Jeffrey Walker.

An excellent primer to the work and milieu of Henry James, this collection of essays highlights the historical and cultural issues that influenced the great novelist.

An excellent primer to the work and milieu of Henry James, this collection of essays highlights the historical and cultural issues that influenced the great novelist.

This brilliant, original collection of essays on Melville's life and writing makes the case for his centrality both to nineteenth-century writing in America and also to America's understanding of itself. No American literary artist has ever known his fellow citizens in greater depth.

The editor of this text includes contributions concerning Thoreau's relationship with 19th century authority and concepts of the land, making the text appeal to those who appreciate Thoreau for his embodiment of the spirit of American rebellion.

The essays in this collection treat the whole of Ralph Ellison's body of work, including his famous novel Invisible Man. The volume confronts Ellison the man of ideas, essayist, and short story writer, as well as the material in his posthumously published novel Juneteenth, in order to provide contemporary readers and critics with a comprehensive examination of Ellison.

A Historical Guide to Edith Wharton provides scholarly and general readers with historical contexts that illuminate Wharton's life and writing in new, exciting ways. The essays in this volume expand our sense of Wharton as a novelist of manners and reflect the latest developments in new historicism and cultural studies.

Combining cultural criticism with historical scholarship, this book addresses a wide range of topics relevant to Mark Twain's work including religion, commerce, race, gender, social class and imperialism.

Contains an introduction that considers the tension between Poe's "otherworldly" settings and his historically marked representations of violence. This book covers topics such as Poe and the American Publishing Industry, Poe's Sensationalism, Poe's relationship to gender constructions, and Poe and American Privacy.

Ralph Waldo Emerson has maintained his place as one of the seminal figures in American history and literature. He was the acknowledged leader of the Transcendentalist movement. This study gathers essays that discuss Emerson's life as well as women's rights, slavery, transcendentalism, and religion.

This study combines contemporary cultural studies and historical scholarship to illuminate Walt Whitman's diverse contexts.

The essays in this collection treat the whole of Ralph Ellison's body of work, including his famous novel Invisible Man. The volume confronts Ellison the man of ideas, essayist, and short story writer, as well as the material in his posthumously published novel Juneteenth, in order to provide contemporary readers and critics with a comprehensive examination of Ellison.

Langston Hughes has been an inspiration to generations of readers and writers seeking a passionate, intelligent, and socially responsible art. In this volume, Steven C. Tracy has gathered a broad range of critics to produce an interdisciplinary approach to the important historical and cultural elements reflected in Hughes's work.

This volume of commissioned essays explores topics concerning the historical context of Fitzgerald's writings. Its topics include the literary marketplace of the 1920s and 1930s, the influence of public figures such as Walter Lippmann and H. L. Mencken, the mass market, film and its treatment of the "New Woman," and the aftermath of World War I.

Contains an introduction that considers the tension between Poe's "otherworldly" settings and his historically marked representations of violence. This book covers topics such as Poe and the American Publishing Industry, Poe's Sensationalism, Poe's relationship to gender constructions, and Poe and American Privacy.

Includes an introduction, a brief biography, a bibliographical essay, and an illustrated chronology of the author's life and times. This work combines cultural criticism with historical scholarship, and addresses a range of topics relevant to his work, including slavery, children, mesmerism, and the visual arts.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was the acknowledged leader of the Transcendentalist movement. His poetic legacy, education ideals, and religious concepts are integral to the formation of American intellectual life. This work discusses biographical details of Emerson's life as well as women's rights, slavery, transcendentalism, and religion.

This study combines contemporary cultural studies and historical scholarship to illuminate Walt Whitman's diverse contexts.

An overview of Emily Dickinson studies at the start of the 21st century. The collection represents contemporary scholarship and points the way toward e directions. While locating the public Dickinson in relation to American political, social, and literary history, this volume also remains faithful to the private particulars of her career.

Edith Wharton stands at a particular historical crossroads between sentimental lady writer and modern professional author. These essays expand our sense of Wharton as a novelist of manners and demonstrate her engagement with issues of her day.

The 1999 centennial of Ernest Hemingway's birth marks a time for the re-evaluation of his position as America's premier modernist writer. The previously unpublished essays discuss biographical details of his personal and professional life as well as describe the subtleties of his character.

The editor of this text includes contributions concerning Thoreau's relationship with 19th century authority and concepts of the land, making the text appeal to those who appreciate Thoreau for his embodiment of the spirit of American rebellion.

The 1999 centennial of Ernest Hemingway's birth marks a time for the re-evaluation of his position as America's premier modernist writer. The previously unpublished essays discuss biographical details of his personal and professional life as well as describe the subtleties of his character.

Includes an introduction, a brief biography, a bibliographical essay, and an illustrated chronology of the author's life and times. This work combines cultural criticism with historical scholarship, and addresses a range of topics relevant to his work, including slavery, children, mesmerism, and the visual arts.