Early English novelists such as Samuel Richardson, Daniel Defoe, and Laurence Sterne helped create the formula for the modern novel.

From Modernism to Postmodernism: American Poetry and Theory in the Twentieth Century

In this overview of twentieth-century American poetry, Jennifer Ashton explores the complex currents of poetic and intellectual interest linking contemporary poets with their modernist forebears, including Stein, Williams and Pound. She develops important ways to read modernist and postmodernist poetry through their similarities as well as their differences.

Companion to American Women Playwrights

This volume addresses the work of women playwrights throughout the history of the American theater, from the early pioneers to contemporary feminists.

The Novel 100, Revised Edition (The Literature 100)

Which novels are truly great, and why? The Novel 100, Revised Edition is a unique reference that profiles great novels drawn from all cultures and periods of literature. Each entry provides a plot summary and assessment of a particular novel, with an emphasis on facts about the novel's creation, critical reception, and contribution to literary history.

Contemporary Literature, 1970-present (Research Guide to American Literature)

Contemporary Literature: 1970–Present covers American literature in the contemporary period, leading up to the present day. Ideal for student researchers, this new resource examines works, authors, movements, and themes.