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Title: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of American Writers by Merriam-Webster ISBN: 0-87779-022-1 Publisher: Merriam-Webster, Inc. Pub. Date: 19 March, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.33 (3 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Good only for a cursory look at American writers
Comment: This catalogue of American writers was published as a companion to C-SPAN's "American Writers: A Journey Through History" and unfortunately ends up feeling like something more suited to television than a reference book. Entries are brief and succinct, and are no more informative than a curriculum vitae. However, I was pleased to see some obscure writers listed, especially minorities, along with other, better known names. The editors have marked the entries for writers featured on the series with a line-drawing of a quill, a helpful touch for readers familiar with the show. The short section at the end on "Groups, Movements, and Periodicals" is perhaps the best part of this book, as it offers quick access to the historical aspects of American literature.
If you want a good research source of American literature, you'd be better off buying Benet's Readers Encyclopedia of American Literature or Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature. But, if you enjoyed the C-SPAN series and want a book that complements it, you'll probably appreciate it for what it is.
Rating: 5
Summary: A STELLAR COLLECTION OF INFORMATION
Comment: Did you know that John Grisham served for a few years in the Mississippi state legislature while he was practicing law? Or, that Walter Mosley worked as a potter and computer programmer before his first novel, "Devil In A Blue Dress" (1990) was published? Has anyone told you that Peter Matthiessen is a Navy veteran, that he attended Yale and the Sorbonne before joining forces with George Plimpton to form the Paris Review in 1953?
What about the early cowboy classic, "The Virginian"? Isn't it surprising that the author of this adventure, Owen Wister, was a Harvard Law School graduate who grew up among intellectuals? When reading the poetry of Ezra Pound, how many know that he was once returned to the United States from Italy and tried for treason?
All of that information and so much more is found in The Dictionary of American Writers, the official companion to the C-Span series "American Writers: A Journey Through History." It is a veritable treasure trove of information about authors from the early 1600s to the present day. Few of us read without wondering about our favorite writers - the facts are here in easily accessible form.
This volume includes over 1600 entries presented in alphabetized format. Divided into three sections, it begins with author biographies, and is followed by descriptions of significant literary works starting with "Abe Lincoln In Illinois" and concluding with "The Zoo Story." More than 500 works of literature are found in this division.
The final section, "Groups, Movements, and Periodicals" holds 75 entries and covers such landmark gatherings as the Algonquin Round Table, and many influential magazines including The New Yorker.
Students, teachers, and editors will, of course, relish the data found in this thoughtfully prepared volume. It holds equal fascination for literature aficionados - those who love to read will welcome this comprehensive collection of information about the authors who have affected their lives, and given them countless hours of pleasure.
Rating: 5
Summary: A superbly presented guide to a rich literary tradition
Comment: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary Of American Writers is a very highly recommended addition to any personal or academic literary studies reference collection. The more than 1600 entries are illustrated with more than 150 photographs and arranged in three principle sections: Biographies of over 1100 of America's greatest novelists, poets, playwrights, and historians; Synopses of more than 500 important literary works; and entries for 75 of the most important literary groups, movements, and influential periodicals. A superbly presented guide to a rich literary tradition, Merriam-Webster's Dictionary Of American Writers was created in cooperation with the Encyclopedia Britannica.
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Title: Drugs 101 by Margaret O. Hyde ISBN: 0761326081 Publisher: 21st Century Books Pub. Date: 22 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.90 |
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Title: Princess Lessons (A Princess Diaries Book) by Meg Cabot, Chesley McLaren ISBN: 0060526777 Publisher: HarperCollins Pub. Date: 25 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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Title: Bleachers by John Grisham ISBN: 0385511612 Publisher: Doubleday Pub. Date: 09 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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