A classic interpretation of literature from America's golden age-including the work of Howells, Wharton, Lewis, Cather, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Faulkner. New Preface by the Author; Index.
Alfred Kazin Books
Alfred Kazin was an American writer and literary critic whose work often depicted the immigrant experience in early twentieth-century America. His essays stemmed from a deep knowledge of history, literature, politics, and culture, expressed with great passion or disgust for what he was reading. Considered one of the "New York Intellectuals," Kazin held more moderate political views than many of his peers. His writing is characterized by a fervent engagement with the literary world and its societal implications.
The memoir offers a vivid exploration of the intellectual, social, and political landscape over the past fifty years, as seen through the eyes of a prominent critic. It features engaging portraits of influential figures like Saul Bellow and Hannah Arendt, while delving into themes such as politics, literature, and Jewish identity post-Holocaust. The author's eloquent reflections transform personal experiences into profound insights, making this a rich and resonant account of a life deeply intertwined with significant cultural moments.
Alfred Kazin's America
- 592 pages
- 21 hours of reading
“Alfred Kazin chose America as his subject, and his intellectual awakening is itself something of an American legend. . . . Ted Solotaroff’s selection of his work is a fitting tribute, a book that will be a starting point for further reading, both of Kazin and of the native writers to whom he devoted himself” — The New Yorker Over the course of 60 years, Alfred Kazin’s writings confronted virtually all of our major imaginative writers, from Ralph Waldo Emerson and Emily Dickinson to James Wright and Joyce Carol Oates and including such unexpected figures as Abraham Lincoln, William James and Thorstein Veblen. It is fair to say that he succeeded Edmund Wilson as the secretary of American letters. At the same time this son of immigrant Russian Jews wrote out of the tensions of the outsider and the astute, outspoken leftist. Editor Ted Solotaroff has selected material from Kazin’s three classic memoirs to accompany these critical writings. The excerpts include sharply etched portraits of the Brownsville, Greenwich Village, Upper West Side, and Cape Cod literary milieus and of such figures as Saul Bellow, Lionel Trilling, Edmund Wilson, and Hannah Arendt. Alfred Kazin's America provides an ongoing example of the spiritual freedom, individualism, and democratic contentiousness that he regarded as his heritage and endeavored to pass on.
In this book, Alfred Kazin, who for more than 30 years has been one of the central figures of America's intellectual life, takes us into his own life and times. His autobiography encompasses a personal story openly told; an inside look at New York's innermost intellectual circles; strong and intimate revelations of many of the most important writers of the century; and brilliantly astute observations of the literary accomplishments, atmosphere, and fads of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s in the context of America's shifting political gales.
This collection presents a master class in memoir writing from nine acclaimed authors, including Annie Dillard and Frank McCourt. Each contributor shares their unique insights and experiences, making it an invaluable resource for both readers and aspiring writers. The book explores the art of storytelling, personal reflection, and the nuances of crafting a compelling narrative, providing inspiration and guidance for those interested in the memoir genre.
God and the American Writer
- 288 pages
- 11 hours of reading
Exploring the motivations and themes of prominent American writers from Hawthorne to Faulkner, this work offers deep insights into their relationship with spirituality and the divine. The author draws on extensive research and analysis, presenting a compelling examination of how these literary figures grappled with existential questions and moral dilemmas. This study is positioned as a significant contribution to understanding the intersection of faith and literature in American writing over the past century.
Selected Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne
- 254 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Presents a selection of fifteen short fiction stories by nineteenth-century American author Nathaniel Hawthorne.
When Henry Roth published his debut novel Call It Sleep in 1934, it was greeted with considerable critical acclaim though, in those troubled times, lackluster sales. Only with its paperback publication thirty years later did this novel receive the recognition it deserves --and still enjoys. Having sold-to-date millions of copies worldwide," Call It Sleep" is the magnificent story of David Schearl, the " dangerously imaginative" child coming of age in the slums of New York.
This edition also includes the short stories The Veteran and The Open Book.The Red Badge of Courage is one of the greatest war novels of all time. It reports on the American Civil War through the eyes of Henry Fleming, an ordinary farm boy turned soldier. It evokes the chaos and the dull clatter of war: the acrid smoke, the incessant rumours of coming battles, the filth and cold, the numbing monotony, the unworldly wailing of the dying. Like an impressionist painter, Crane also captures the strange beauty of war: the brilliant red flags against a blue sky, steel bayonets flashing in the morning sun as soldiers step off into battle. In the midst of this chaotic outer world, he creates an intricate inner world as he takes us inside the head of Henry Fleming.
