Parini, Jay

An anthology of American poetry from colonial to contemporary times including works by Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Wallace Stevens, Langston Hughes, Elizabeth Bishop, and more.

Chronicles the life of Robert Frost and discusses his childhood in San Francisco, his college days at Dartmouth, his friendships with Edward Thomas and Ezra Pound, his writing career, and other related topics.

The opening of this fictional novel about Herman Melville features an aging, angry, and drunken man who is wreaking havoc in his unhappy New York home. Decades past his flourishing career as a bestselling writer, he expected his epic novel, Moby Dick, to make him immortal but critics scoffed and readers fled. But, within him is perhaps one great work: the story of a handsome sailor in the Napoleonic Wars, undone by one moment of uncontrollable rage.

Profiles eighteen important works of American literature, including novels, poems, and short story collections, each with an analysis, a discussion of its impact and influence, an author chronology, and a bibliography.

Profiles twenty important works of British literature, including novels, poems, and plays, analyzing them, describing their impact and influence, and providing an author chronology and bibliographies for each. This volume includes Donne's "Holy Sonnets, " Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales, " and Austen's "Emma.".

Profiles twenty important works of literature, including novels, poems, plays, and nonfiction, analyzing them, describing their impact and influence, and providing an author chronology and bibliographies for each.

Biography of American novelist John Steinbeck, exploring his career, marriages, and associations with celebrities.

Profiles thirteen books the author believes have had the greatest influence on American history and altered the way Americans think about the world around them.