A Manual of American Literature

This volume offers a clear, scholarly survey of American letters at the turn of the twentieth century, framed by the long‑standing Tauchnitz tradition of bringing English‑language works to a broad readership. Compiled by a Cornell faculty team and presented as a “Memorial Volume,” it acknowledges the growing respect for American authors across the Atlantic while honoring President Roosevelt for his cultural leadership. The introduction explains how the series, originally focused on British writers, gradually welcomed American voices such as Cooper, Irving, Hawthorne and Stowe, illustrating the expanding literary dialogue between the two nations.

Listeners will find concise overviews of key writers, selections that highlight each author’s major themes, and contextual notes that trace the evolution of American storytelling from early frontier tales to the more nuanced social critiques of the late nineteenth century. The manual also outlines the criteria used by the editors to choose works for the collection, giving insight into the tastes and publishing realities of the era. Together, these elements create a helpful guide for anyone seeking to understand how American literature earned its place in a global canon.