- Paperback: 2482 pages
- Publisher: W. W. Norton & Co. (1 April 1979)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0393950352
- ISBN-13: 978-0393950359
- Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 13.5 x 6.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,488,730 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
The classic survey of American literature from its origins to the present, The Norton Anthology of American Literature offers the work of 212 writers -- 38 newly included. From trickster tales of the Native American tradition to bestsellers of early women writers to postmodernism, the new edition conveys the diversity of American literature. Thirty works are included in their entirety, among them The Scarlet Letter, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Huckleberry Finn, The Awakening, A Streetcar Named Desire, and, new to this edition, Willa Cather's My Antonia, Allen Ginsberg's "Howl", and David Mamet's Glengarry, Glen Ross.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book, an essential for anyone studying American Literature, contains many poets, writers and essayists of a great history of America. Offering notes on the writers themselves, the book's contents span many different genres, attempting to span a wide a field as possible. Indeed, over 2000 pages of information are available, and this, unfortunately is where the book also fails. It may have been best to focus on particular genres, as, whilst enjoyable to surface many different writers, having certain chapters or verses excluded ruins the enjoyment rather than give a taster. One such example is Frost's 'Voyages' poems. We are allowed verses 1, 3, and 5 and not the others. This can be irritating, but rewarding if you are only skimming the surface of American Literature as a whole. So much information has to be presented to the reader also, and unfortunately, the choice of paper (a thin product making it almost impossible to write notes upon) makes the purchaser consider twice as to purchase the book (or to borrow it off a friend who already has it!). Why give it four stars though? Well, I had not known much and this book allowed me to study the topic in-depth as I needed for the course. If you want the mass of info it is a good buy. Otherwise, focus on certain writers and purchase their works - you'll have a better chance of getting something more complete.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
29 reviews
45 of 49 people found the following review helpful
another daunting literary anthology?
13 Dec 2002
Format:Paperback
The misleading title of this anthology is the first thing that comes to mind when receiving it in the mail: "...Shorter Fifth Edition." After lugging it along on my hike to class every morning for the past semester, I have a few issues with that proudly displayed "shorter." There are few books I can think of that aren't shorter than this one. Length (and weight) aside, the comprehensiveness of the anthology is amazing. As an English major, I've read a lot of anthologies, but this one stands out among them. In addition to the standard fare (T. S. Eliot, "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Huck Finn") that we English majors read in class after class, it features a diverse range of refreshing and new entries. Every point of view under the ridiculously broad umbrella of Americanness seems to be represented here: the rarely-seen chants and myths of the Native Americans, the poetry of slaves, and an impressive number of women writers are all accounted for. It's a relief to read an anthology that doesn't just have the same old prose as every other anthology, and for that, I'm more than willing to drag the heavy book to and from campus.
26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Volume II: Lacks titles by major figures
18 May 1999
Format:Paperback
While this anthology provides a wonderful array of texts by diverse authors, it is difficult to use in a survey course without supplementation. Given the high cost of the volume, it is difficult to justify asking students to purchase additional texts. However, to give two examples, both Fitzgerald and Hemingway are represented by just one story apiece. Surely Jack London or Frank Norris could have been limited to one text each in order to include more short selections or, better, a full novel by one or both of these important writers. I found it difficult to plan a semester that offered a full survey of Am lit using only this anthology.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
For a Beginning Library
11 May 2000
Format:Paperback
One of the joys of life is found in reading and starting a collection for your own libary. I am a college student and had to use this shorter edition for my Major American Authors course. It provides a great way to meet many different writers and see what you personally like. It is true that your collection of books should show something about your personality; therefore, the most helpful part of this anthology is the amount of writers you will be able to become aquainted with and see if you like.
It provides more help by giving beautiful introductions and biographies of all of the writers included. I like the mix of short stories and some full length novels too. Very helpful and I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking to start a little library of their own.
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