A handy size and an affordable price. This collection is briefer than other compact introductory literature anthologies, and only
about half their price.
A well-balanced, chronological selection of literature. Includes a well chosen array of
40 stories, ranging from classics by Hawthorne and Poe to
contemporary tales by writers such as Alice Walker and Tim O’Brien to fresh works by such authors as Ha Jin and Zoe Wicomb; a
judicious and varied selection of
200 poems not only many classic and frequently assigned poems but also the most diverse selection of contemporary American poetry in an anthology of this scope; and a teaching canon of
9 plays — core works and classroom favorites from Sophocles to August Wilson.
Informative but unobtrusive editorial apparatus at the back of the book includes
biographical notes on every author, a
glossary of literary terms, and a section
on writing about literature, which clearly and concisely explains how to think critically, read analytically, and write a variety of commonly assigned papers about literature, from summaries to research papers.