X.J. Kennedy & Dana Gioia developed Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing, 13/e with two major goals in mind: to introduce college students to the appreciation and experience of literature in its major forms and to develop the student’s ability to think critically and communicate effectively through writing. The book is built on the assumption that great literature can enrich and enlarge the lives it touches. Both editors, literary writers themselves, believe that textbooks should be not only informative and accurate but also lively, accessible, and engaging.