Explorations in Sights and Sounds
Orginal Publication Date
1992
Journal Title
Explorations in Sights and Sounds
Volume
12
Issue
ess/vol12/iss1
First Page
35
Last Page
36
Abstract
In the notes to the reader in this two-volume Heath Anthology, Lauter emphasizes that a major principle of selection for authors and works included is to represent as fully as possible the varied cultures of the United States. The process of compilation -- the solicitation from thousands of faculty members teaching American literature to suggest what authors and works should be considered for a "reconstructed" American literature text -- reflects this commitment. With the inclusion of works by 109 women of all races, twenty-five Native Americans (including seventeen texts from tribal origins), fifty-three African Americans, thirteen Hispanics (as well as twelve texts from earlier Spanish originals and two from French), nine Asian Americans, and authors from other ethnic traditions (such as Jewish and Italian), the editors have succeeded in producing an anthology that redefines the canon of American literature. It is a definition long overdue and one that portrays a composite picture of the American multicultural literary tradition and new directions in the study of the American literary frontier.
Rights
Copyright, ©EES, The National Association for Ethnic Studies, 1992