Examines the individual author's entire body of work and on his/her single works of literature.

"Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, although well received in its own day, was largely forgotten until the 1970s. The same thing was true of its author, who died in abject poverty. Fortunately, both this novel and most of Hurston's other works were eventually rediscovered, and Their Eyes is now seen as one of the most important books in twentieth-century American literature. This volume explores the book from numerous and diverse perspectives,...

Slaughterhouse-Five is an odd sort of book—both an antiwar novel and science fiction, a dark comedy as well as a tragedy. Published at the height of the Vietnam War protests, it seized the imaginations of thousands of young people and made Vonnegut into an overnight sensation.

This volume offers a comprehensive introduction to Sandra Cisneros's acclaimed novel. The opening essays describe the critical reception of the novel and its simple prose and reliance on suggestive metaphors and similes. A collection of classic essays offer a feminist approach to the work, an examination of gender stereotypes, a critique of patriarchy, and the role of female friendships. Other essays examine how Cisneros uses the novel to cross the...

Introductory essays reflect on Achebe's pioneering achievement and evaluate the enduring, international popularity of Things Fall Apart. A brief biography follows, and a quartet of new essays provide a framework for in-depth study. The essays survey major trends in criticism in the novel and discuss Achebe's masterful use of language. Also included is a comparison of Things Fall Apart to major literary works within the Western cannon, such as the...

American novelist, essayist, and short story writer David Foster Wallace was known for his experimental writing style influenced by contemporary American culture. Essays from his most noted works, including his critically acclaimed novel, Infinite Jest, survey the various themes that appear in his work such as his exploration of philosophy, meta-fiction, satire, psychology, and the irony of postmodernism. - Amazon.