Ann Charters Book order

An anthology of essays, poetry, and fiction from the 1960s.

Product Details 1666 pages Bedford/St Martins; 4th edition (January 1995) Ann Charters has an acute sense of which stories work most effectively in the classroom and knows that writers, not editors, have the most interesting and useful things to say about the making and the meaning of fiction. For those who want a smaller, less expensive anthology, the compact edition of The Story and Its Writer is the most comprehensive, diverse — the best-selling — introduction to fiction available, notable for its student appeal as well as its quality and range. To complement the stories, Charters includes her lasting an array of the writers’ own commentaries on the craft and traditions of fiction. For in-depth, illustrated studies of particular writers, her Casebooks provide unparalleled opportunities for discussion and writing.

Now that Kerouac's major novel, On the Road is accepted as an American classic, academic critics are slowly beginning to catch up with his experimental literary methods and examine the dozen books comprising what he called 'the legend of Duluoz.' Nearly all of his books have been in print internationally since his death in 1969, and his writing has been discovered and enjoyed by new readers throughout the world. Kerouac's view of the promise of America, the seductive and lovely vision of the beckoning open spaces of our continent, has never been expressed better by subsequent writers, perhaps because Kerouac was our last writer to believe in America's promise--and essential innocence--as the legacy he would explore in his autobiographical fiction.

This alphabetically arranged anthology presents 40 major authors in depth through 93 stories and 43 commentaries on the stories by the writers themselves.

Beginning in the late 1940's, American literature discovered a four-letter word, and the word was "beat." Beat as in poverty and beatitude, ecstasy and exile. Beat was Jack Kerouac touring the American road in prose as fast and reckless as a V-8 Chevy. It was the junk-sick surrealism of William Burroughs; the wild, Whitmanesque poetry of Allen Ginsberg; and the lumberjack Zen of Gary Snyder.The Portable Beat Reader collects the most significant writing of these and fellow members (and spiritual descendants) of the Beat Generation, including Neal Cassady, Gregory Corso, Diane di Prima, Bob Dylan, Leroi Jones, and Michael McClure. In poetry, fiction, essays, song lyrics, letters, and memoirs, it captures the triumphant rudeness, energy, and exhilaration of a movement that swept through American letters with hurricane force.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Sal Paradise, young and innocent, embarks on an exhilarating journey across the United States with the slightly crazed Dean Moriarty. Their hedonistic quest for fulfillment through drink, sex, drugs, and jazz transforms into an exploration of personal freedom and tests the limits of the American Dream. This brilliant blend of fiction and autobiography captures the essence of the Beat generation and has become a cornerstone of counterculture. The beloved story, cherished by millions for over fifty years, has been adapted for the screen by acclaimed filmmaker Walter Salles, who brings a contemporary feel while remaining true to the iconic text. The film features a world-class cast, including Garrett Hedlund, Sam Riley, Kristen Stewart, and Viggo Mortensen. Set to release in Australian cinemas on September 27, 2012, the adaptation aims to resonate with both new audiences and longtime fans. As William Burroughs noted, the narrative encapsulates the alienation and restlessness that many felt, while Hanif Kureishi praised its impact on his worldview, igniting a yearning for fresh experiences. This adaptation promises to capture the spirit of adventure and exploration that has defined the original work.

Third Edition in The Story and Its Writer series.