Article explores the influence of jazz on African American literature from the early history of jazz, noted jazz artists, the black-white tensions within jazz, to its literary influence after World War II.

Read about John Steinbeck, the author of "Of Mice and Men" and "The Grapes of Wrath," who was honored for his writing as a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. This website is organized into the following sections: "Presentation...

This site provides a concise biography of Haley, the video [12:28] "Alex Haley Interview Roots (Merv Griffin Show 1977)" and links to six of his books.

This is the text and audio of the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, an anti-slavery novel published in 1852, that was said to "helped lay the groundwork for the Civil War." It was the best-selling novel of the 19th...

This lesson focuses on reader-response literary criticism including the purpose of reader response, the structure of a reader-response essay, how to criticize with examples, and an example of a reader-response essay using "The Secret...

Discusses the state of literature and written history in the 1800s as they related to the development of a national identity, and the role Romanticism played. With the passage of time, more serious literature emerged and authors began to...

The hard-fought American Revolution against Britain (1775-1783) was the first modern war of liberation against a colonial power. The triumph of American independence seemed to many at the time a divine sign that America and her people...

Read the full text of Jesse Stuart's short story "The Cherry Tree". With links to other short stories by American writers.

This unit features the rich oral tradition of Native Americans storytelling in various genres predating the introduction and influence of English writings, bringing three contemporary authors to light. RI.11-12.8 seminal U.S. texts,...

Some of the African-American writers and poets who spoke out eloquently about their experiences of slavery in the 1700s and 1800s are featured in this section of Literature & Life. Read powerful first-person accounts of Harriet...

This site, from Ann Woodlief's Introduction to American Romanticism (or the American Renaissance) defines the Romantic movement in American literature and discusses its major themes.

This encyclopedia, "The Cambridge History of English and American Literature" provided by Bartleby.com, includes information of regionalism in poetry located in section X 'Later Poets'. Check out 1.Poets of East and West 5. The Middle...

This biography highlights author William Carlos Williams' contributions to American literature with emphasis on ordinary life and everyday language, particularly in his poetry. See "William Carlos Williams Activities" for related materials.

Bernard Malamud is praised for his contributions to Jewish American literature in this brief biography. Click on "Bernard Malamud Activities" for related artifacts and activities.

A series of 16 Instructional Units on American Literature with texts, videos, instructor guides, and more. Topics include: Native Voices, Exploring Borderlands, Utopian Promise, Spirit of Nationalism, Masculine Heroes, Gothic...

This biography features Mark Twain as a regional realist author, world renown for his ability to portray real Americans in the late nineteenth century. Click "Mark Twain Activities" for artifacts and activities.

The Antislavery Literature Project is a collaborative electronic publishing venture that provides educational access to the literature and history of the antislavery movement in the United States that is crucial to understanding African...

This site from American Public Media offers the opportunity to listen to "A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor" shows and also presents trivia about the show, writings by Keillor, and other related materials.

In this lesson, 11th graders explore the ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson and his call for literature that was uniquely American. They then consider how Emerson would have responded to writings by Henry Thoreau, Frederick Douglass, Harriet...

This workshop, which is divided into eight segments, teaches how to use primary source artifacts from a variety of genres to support the teaching and learning of specific pieces of literature. The genres include visual arts, political...

American Passages presents a concise biography of nineteenth century progressive American poet, Walt Whitman. See "Walt Whitman Activities" for artifacts and activities.

Prompted to write so as to raise his family out of debt, Herman Melville, acclaimed American author of the nineteenth century is portrayed in this brief biography. See "Herman Melville Activities" for related materials.

Access any one of twenty-five lectures, in audio, video, or text format, from a university-level course in American novels published after World War II, With coverage of Black Boy, Wise Blood, Lolita, On the Road, Franny and Zooey, and...

An extremely rich site, this offering from Modern American Poetry covers all aspects of Dorothy Parker's (1893-1967 CE) work. Included are critical commentaries, biographical information, a Parker Gallery and other resources.