* A Brief History of American Literature offers students and general readers a concise and up-to-date history of the full range of American writing from its origins until the present day. * Represents the only up-to-date concise history of American literature * Covers fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction, as well as looking at other forms of literature including folktales, spirituals, the detective story, the thriller and science fiction * Considers how our understanding of American literature has changed over the past twenty years * Offers students an abridged version of History of American Literature, a book widely considered the standard survey text * Provides an invaluable introduction to the subject for students of American literature, American studies and all those interested in the literature and culture of the United States