Wiley-Blackwell A Companion to American Fiction, 1865 - 1914 (Blackwell Companions to Literature and Culture)

A Companion to American Fiction, 1865-1914 is a groundbreaking collection of essays written by leading critics for a wide audience of scholars, students, and interested general readers. An exceptionally broad-ranging and accessible Companion to the study of American fiction of the post-civil war period and the early twentieth century Brings together 29 essays by top scholars, each of which presents a synthesis of the best research and offers an original perspective Divided into sections on historical traditions and genres, contexts and themes, and major authors Covers a mixture of canonical and the non-canonical themes, authors, literatures, and critical approaches Explores innovative topics, such as ecological literature and ecocriticism, children’s literature, and the influence of Darwin on fiction Review "All praise to Lamb and Thompson … Comprehensive, well written and carefully edited ... Essential." Choice "The editors have intended the Companion to be an introduction to the field and a reference tool for 'advanced undergraduates, graduate students, faculty members and general intellectuals'. In this they have succeeded admirably." Reference Reviews From the Inside Flap A Companion to American Fiction, 1865–1914 is a groundbreaking collection of essays written by leading critics for a wide audience of students, scholars, and interested general readers. Containing 29 essays and 12 illustrations with accompanying texts, this comprehensive volume is divided into three sections covering historical traditions and genres, contexts and themes, and major authors. The essays address a mixture of canonical and non-canonical subjects; so, alongside treatment of such standard topics as realism, naturalism, and regionalism are contributions on the romance, sentimentalism, early modernism, African American and Native American narratives, women’s fiction, class, ethnicity, and the short story. A significant feature of the book is its inclusion of chapters on both frontier and urban narratives, Civil War literature, Darwin’s influence on fiction, children’s literature, consumer culture, law and narrative, utopian fiction, and ecological literature and ecocriticism. Contributors present lucid syntheses of the best criticism available on their topics and, at the same time, offer original perspectives of their own. This Companion is essential reading for anyone interested in American literature from this important period. From the Back Cover A Companion to American Fiction, 1865–1914 is a groundbreaking collection of essays written by leading critics for a wide audience of students, scholars, and interested general readers. Containing 29 essays and 12 illustrations with accompanying texts, this comprehensive volume is divided into three sections covering historical traditions and genres, contexts and themes, and major authors. The essays address a mixture of canonical and non-canonical subjects; so, alongside treatment of such standard topics as realism, naturalism, and regionalism are contributions on the romance, sentimentalism, early modernism, African American and Native American narratives, women’s fiction, class, ethnicity, and the short story. A significant feature of the book is its inclusion of chapters on both frontier and urban narratives, Civil War literature, Darwin’s influence on fiction, children’s literature, consumer culture, law and narrative, utopian fiction, and ecological literature and ecocriticism. Contributors present lucid syntheses of the best criticism available on their topics and, at the same time, offer original perspectives of their own. This Companion is essential reading for anyone interested in American literature from this important period. About the Author Robert Paul Lamb is Associate Professor of English at Purdue University. The author of many articles on American literature and recipient of Harvard University’s Bowdoin Prize for