Beneath the American Renaissance

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Focusing on the major figures of American literature, this work offers insightful analyses of Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, and Dickinson within the context of their time. David Reynolds combines critical insight and narrative drive to explore the cultural landscape surrounding these authors, enhancing our understanding of the American Renaissance as identified by F.O. Matthiessen. The new foreword by historian Sean Wilentz highlights the book's lasting influence, making it essential for those interested in the origins of America's literary heritage.