Contemporary American Literature, 1945 - Present

by Phillips, Jerry; Anesko, Michael, Ph.D. (CON); Meyers, Karen; Rangno, Erik V. R.

• ISBN13: 9781604134896
• ISBN10: 1604134895
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-04-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

Now in full color and containing important new material, the updated Backgrounds to American Literature set places the entire span of American literature in its historical, cultural, and social context. Each illustrated, engaging volume explores a particular period's political, religious, cultural, economic, and social trends and discusses how they affected the literature of the time. Accessible and easy-to-use, this revised set is ideal for students seeking a deeper understanding of American literature.

Author Biography

Erik V.R. Rangno teaches English at the University of California at Irvine. Karen Meyers is an educator and curriculum writer, editor, and author of numerous works of nonfiction. She has a master's degree and a doctorate in literature and has taught literature at the college level for many years.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. 4
American Literature Since 1945	p. 4
The Fifties	p. 16
The Sixties and Beyond	p. 29
Contemporary American Poetry	p. 43
New Voices	p. 57
The Postmodern Moment	p. 70
Millennial Voices in Fiction	p. 82
Timeline	p. 107
Glossary of Terms	p. 112
Biographical Glossary	p. 116
Further Reading	p. 121
Index	p. 123
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Focusing on a variety of topics, from the violence of war and the struggle for civil rights to the social impact of technology and the moral significance of money, this colorfully illustrated guide to American literature from the postwar period to the present day has been expanded and fully updated. A new section titled "Into the Future" contains a discussion of the best young writers of recent years. A concise, engaging guide to American contemporary literature, this volume provides information on 21st-century writers; the 1950s, '60s, and beyond; contemporary American poetry; and the postmodern movement.Topics include:

• Post-World War II and Vietnam War literature
• New Journalism
• Beat literature and existentialism
• The rise of ethnic and minority literature
• The civil rights movement
• Postmodernism
• Confessional poetry and poetry of witness
• Millennial voices in fiction
• And more.

Writers covered include:

• Raymond Carver
• Sandra Cisneros
• Ralph Ellison
• Robert Frost
• Norman Mailer
• N. Scott Momaday
• Toni Morrison
• Sylvia Plath
• Thomas Pynchon
• Adrienne Rich
• J.D. Salinger
• Kurt Vonnegut
• Tom Wolfe
• And many others.

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Excerpted from Contemporary American Literature, 1945 - Present, Second Edition by TBD: Dwj Books
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.