Timely and beautifully written, New England Beyond Criticism provides a passionate defense of the importance of the literature of New England to the American literary canon, and its impact on the development of spirituality, community, and culture in America. * An exploration and defense of the prominence of New England's literary tradition within the canon of American literature * Traces the impact of the literature of New England on the development of spirituality, community, and culture in America * Includes in-depth studies of work from authors and poets such as William Bradford, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Henry David Thoreau, Susan Howe, and Marilynne Robinson * Examines the place and impression of New England literature in the nation's intellectual history and the lives of its readers