Updated throughout and with much new material, A History of American Literature, Second Edition, is the most up-to-date and comprehensive survey available of the myriad forms of American Literature from pre-Columbian times to the present. * The most comprehensive and up-to-date history of American literature available today * Covers fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction, as well as other forms of literature including folktale, spirituals, the detective story, the thriller, and science fiction * Explores the plural character of American literature, including the contributions made by African American, Native American, Hispanic and Asian American writers * Considers how our understanding of American literature has changed over the past?thirty years * Situates American literature in the contexts of American history, politics and society * Offers an invaluable introduction to American literature for students at all levels, academic and general readers