"The ten brilliant women who are the focus of Sharp came from different backgrounds and had vastly divergent political and artistic opinions. But they all made a significant contribution to the cultural and intellectual history of America and ultimately changed the course of the twentieth century, in spite of the men who often undervalued or dismissed their work. These ten women--Dorothy Parker, Rebecca West, Hannah Arendt, Mary McCarthy, Susan...

This collection of short writings is remarkable for its variety--both in terms of length and style. This might be attributed to Twain experimenting with form as growth, of moving from the brevity of his often humorous journalism toward themes that could sustain more lengthly treatment. This book has speeches, short stories, poems, hoaxes, satires, fables, travelogues, burlesques, first and third person narratives, and biographical and autobiographical...

"Laing examines the link between creativity and alcohol through the work and lives of six of America's finest writers." --

In this 1900 novel, Glasgow examines the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction on Southern life, focusing especially on race, class, and gender themes that would continue in her literature. Nicholas Burr, the son of a poor white farmer, rises to the governorship of Virginia. Yet his political success, tempered by disappointment in love, leads to a tragic outcome.

Includes biographical portrait and essays that discuss the important symbols and themes of Thoreau's work, his political influence and puts the author's work into perspective with the cultural and historical events of the day.

A vibrant collection of personal and lyric essays in conversation with archival objects of Black history and memory. What are the politics of nature? Who owns it, where is it, what role does it play in our lives? Does it need to be tamed? Are we ourselves natural? In A Darker Wilderness, a constellation of luminary writers reflect on the significance of nature in their lived experience and on the role of nature in the lives of Black folks in the...

Complete collection of major nonfiction writings by author James Baldwin, composed between 1948 and 1985, providing his perceptions of the twentieth century black American experience. "The works of James Baldwin constitute one of the major contributions to American literature in the twentieth century, and nowhere is this more evident than in The Price of the Ticket, a compendium of nearly fifty years of Baldwin's powerful nonfiction writing. With...

This provocative collection of essays reveals the passionate voice of a Native American feminist intellectual. Elizabeth Cook-Lynn, a poet and literary scholar, grapples with issues she encountered as a Native American in academia. She asks questions of critical importance to tribal people: who is telling their stories, where does cultural authority lie, and most important, how is it possible to develop an authentic tribal literary voice within

...

Brings together the eight important works upon which the playwright's fame rests. The Emperor Jones: The murderous Brutus Jones escapes from jail and bluffs his way to becoming the emperor of a Caribbean island.