The HarperCollins Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature [Hardcover]

George Perkins (Editor), Barbara Perkins (Editor), Phillip Leininger (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2002

A classic reference work originally published forty years ago, "The Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature" is an irresistable guide to nearly everything there is to know about American literature. The thousands of entries, contributed by more than 130 scholars, include biographies of novelists, playwrights, poets and critics, summaries of books and plays, descriptions of characters, definitions of literary terms and movements, and much more. Featuring hundreds of longer essays on broad topics of interest such as Native American Prose and Poetry, Jewish American Literature, Humor in the United States, and Motion Pictures, the REAL is an authoritative and engrossing-- and often quirky -- guide to American life and the canon in all its variety and vigor. This new edition, the first since 1991, has added 300 new writers who have come to prominence in the last decade, from Amy Tan and E. Annie Proulx to Oscar Hijuelos, Paul Auster, David Guterson, and many more. Over 1300 existing entries have been revised and updated in light of recent scholarship.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This newly christened encyclopedia is a revised and updated edition of Ben t's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature, itself last updated in 1991 by the editors of this edition. As is normal in updating a work, the editors included those authors who have risen to prominence in the last decade, such as Oscar Hijuelos and E. Annie Proulx. However, the structure of the resource and its general contents have remained the same. The work consists of entries on titles, characters, authors, genres, historical people, historical events, and literary movements. Title entries include brief synopses and a short summation of a work's critical reception. Biographical entries include dates, a listing of works, a brief biographical sketch, a summary of critical opinion, and a list of further resources. While this information is useful, it is the essays that make this work so valuable. Diverse in subject, they include "History of American Literature," "Native American Prose and Poetry," and "The Globalization of American Literature," and their depth and breath are sufficient to satisfy the simply curious or to launch and, more importantly, lead a student into the subject at hand. There are other good reference works on American literature, particularly The Oxford Companion to American Literature (edited by Phillip Leininger, a coeditor here) and the 1991 edition of Ben t's. But given the reasonable price, most libraries will benefit from the updated information in this new incarnation. Recommended for all libraries. Neal Wyatt, Chesterfield Cty. P.L., VA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Last published in 1991 as Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia of American Literature, this compendium focuses primarily on the U.S., although it also encompasses the literatures of Canada and Latin America. Its more than 6,000 entries include authors, filmmakers, songwriters, titles of literary works, characters, historical events, periodicals, groups and movements, and a variety of other topics. In addition, a number of lengthy articles provide broad overviews of the literary history of particular geographical areas, ethnic groups, and genres.

The most significant feature of this edition is the inclusion of 300 new entries for writers who have risen to fame in the last two decades. Among those added are Madison Smartt Bell, Charles Frazier, John Grisham, Tony Kushner, Frank McCourt, Jane Smiley, and Amy Tan. Editors George and Barbara Perkins have also authored several new general articles (Globalization of American literature and Hispanic-American literature), and they have updated more than 1,300 entries from the previous edition, primarily those on writers who remain active (e.g., Gayl Jones, Larry McMurtry, Bobbie Ann Mason) and overview articles, such as Afro-American literature and Drama in the United States: since 1960. An extensive search yielded only one new title entry--All the Pretty Horses--and no new entries for other categories of topics. Moreover, many lesser-known writers who appeared in the previous edition have been dropped, as have almost half of the entries for U.S. presidents and numerous titles (including Willa Cather's O Pioneers!).

Broader in geographic scope than The Oxford Companion to American Literature (6th ed., Oxford, 1995), the HarperCollins title also includes approximately 1,000 more entries, and its coverage of contemporary writers is more extensive. However, the paucity of new entries in categories other than biographical and survey articles creates an imbalance in the work as a whole because the last three decades are underrepresented by such types of entries as titles, characters, and events. Although its unevenness detracts somewhat from its usefulness, this encyclopedia continues to be a valuable source for high-school, public, and academic libraries. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1126 pages
• Publisher: Collins Reference; 2 edition (April 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006019815X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060198152
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.6 x 2.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,888,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

George and Barbara Perkins are currently completing TRAVEL GEMS: CRUISING FROM THE BALTIC TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC, a personal account of a 2010 Holland America Cruise on the cruise ship Prinsendam. Previous travel books include AROUND THE WORLD ON THE QE2: THE LAST OF THE GREAT OCEAN LINERS.

Among their recent books are George's STONES STAND, WATERS FLOW: A NEW ENGLAND STORY (history and memoir) and RARE DAYS IN LOST VALLEY: THE BELLWETHER UNIVERSITY BOOK OF UNIVERSAL TRUTHS (a comic novel). Together, George and Barbara are authors and editors OF many textbooks and reference books, including THE AMERICAN TRADITION IN LITERATURE, now in its 12th edition after over 50 years of educational leadership.

Recently they have begun to publish a number of their titles as e-books.
For more more information visit http://www.georgeperkins.net