Identity and belonging are just two of the many themes Asian-American writers have explored. This new edition in the "Bloom's Modern Critical Views" series offers fresh critical evaluations of this important body of American literature. Canonical writers such as Maxine Hong Kingston and Amy Tan are discussed in addition to the voices and traditions that have emerged from the United States' diverse South and East Asian communities.

August Wilson's group of 10 plays, often referred to as the Pittsburgh Cycle or the Century Cycle, established his reputation as one of the nation's most important, prolific, and honored playwrights. A two-time recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Wilson wrote often tragicomic works, including "Fences", "Two Trains Running", and "The Piano Lesson", that spoke not only to the African-American experience but to the social changes and upheavals that gripped the United States in the 20th century.

Through a series of vivid and critically acclaimed novels, including "Blood Meridian", "All the Pretty Horses", "No Country for Old Men", and "The Road", Cormac McCarthy has established himself as a major voice in American fiction of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. His works are marked by piercing explorations of the nature of evil and the uncontrollable forces that often govern human lives.

Pocket Essentials is a dynamic series of books that are brief, lively, and easy to read. Packed with facts as well as expert opinions, each book has all the key information you need to know about such popular topics as film, television, cult fiction, history, and more.

Nine critics and scholars give various interpretive evaluations of the classic fantasy trilogy. Bloom honestly admits that he didn't enjoy the books, but many of the writers whose work is excerpted here do not share his views. Each author evaluates the Tolkien novels using different criteria, some discussing their appeal, some their literary merit. Each essay is well defined and laboriously researched, and each opinion is defended within its context. The credentials of the authors are available for perusal. The book is a useful tool for students needing to examine the themes and context of Tolkien's work.