Harper Single Volume American Literature, 3rd Edition [Paperback]

Donald McQuade (Editor), Robert Atwan (Editor), Martha Banta (Editor), Justin Kaplan (Editor), David Minter (Editor), Robert Stepto (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321012690 | ISBN-13: 978-0321012692 | Publication Date: December 27, 1998 | Edition: 3rd

Beginning with Native American and pre-colonial narratives, and with an emphasis on whole works, this edition offers a full range of authors and selections representative of America's diverse literary traditions. Over 100 selections are new to this edition. "Cultural Portfolios"-together with thoroughly revised period introductions-provide students with historical background and cultural depth that give a richness and range to the study of American literature.

Product Details

• Paperback: 3000 pages
• Publisher: Longman; 3rd edition (December 27, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321012690
• ISBN-13: 978-0321012692
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,057 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #48 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Books & Reading > Reference

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the best available U.S. lit anthology, September 10, 2001

By 

Michael J. Mazza - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Harper Single Volume American Literature, 3rd Edition (Paperback)

No anthology of United States literature is going to be ideal for every student, teacher, or general reader. But "The Harper Single Volume American Literature," under the general editorship of Donald McQuade, is probable the best overall anthology of its kind. Weighing in at about 3000 pages, this is a huge gathering of American voices. The third edition of this text includes some major changes.

The anthology starts out with such foundational texts as Native American myths, an excerpt from an Icelandic saga about the discovery of the New World, and writings of Christopher Columbus. There follows a good sampling of 17th century Colonial literature. From there, the anthology moves chronologically to the contemporary era.

There is a great diversity of material here: poetry, autobiography, letters, speeches, short stories, excerpts from novels, plays, political documents, and more. The authors chosen represent the ethnic diversity of the U.S.: there are Asian American, African American, Native American, Jewish, Latino/a, and other voices. There is a good balance of male and female authors, and an interesting representation of lesbian and gay literature (most notably the first part of Tony Kushner's play "Angels in America"). Through it all, most of the great names in U.S. literature appear.

There are informative introductions to each of the book's separate sections. Also fascinating are the several "Cultural Portfolios" scattered throughout the book. These are gatherings of texts and (in most cases) images that reflect a focused theme: the Salem witch trials, the Harlem Renaissance, etc. The most interesting of these Cultural Portfolios, in my opinion, is the one entitled "Who Is an American Writer?" This portfolio questions why some writers are "excluded" from the "canon" on the basis of birthplace, citizenship, or language in which they write; the portfolio includes examples of the writings of Vladimir Nabokov, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Maria Irene Fornes, Bharati Mukherjee, and others.

As excellent as this anthology is, there are some flaws. There is a virtual exclusion of important science fiction authors. Isaac Asimov, Octavia Butler, Ursula LeGuin, Ray Bradbury, Samuel Delany: neither these nor any of the other great sci-fi writers appear. The neglect of this important genre is lamentable.

I also question the inclusion of Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in its entirety. This book is a pivotal masterpiece, but it is widely available in a number of inexpensive additions. I would have used the space in the anthology to include a variety of other works by Twain and other authors, and let interested teachers order a copy of "Huckleberry" separately.

Despite its flaws, this is a truly outstanding anthology. If you have a serious interest in the literature and history of the United States, I recommend that you get this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've used textbooks before..., November 15, 2000

By 

Susan G. Colvin (Duluth, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harper Single Volume American Literature, 3rd Edition (Paperback)

but this is undoubtedly the best Anthology of American Literature available, if only because of the sheer variety and bulk of literature contained in it. As an added plus, there's background information on every author contained in the book. The writing varies from Columbus's diaries to late 20th century poetry, so there's something to interest everyone. All in all, it's a wonderful buy for the price.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've taught using this book, August 16, 2001

By 

"lcarwile" (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harper Single Volume American Literature, 3rd Edition (Paperback)

This is a nice collection for the 21st century, including lots of new voices while still maintaining enough of the canon for a good survey course. It's a big, heavy book (for a paperback) that might have been easier to read in two volumes, but as far as content goes, this one has Norton's beat by miles.