The New Historicism Reader documents the New Historicists' multiplex achievement, spanning Renaissance and Reagan studies, American realism, English romanticism, gender studies, feminism, and communications and rhetoric.

Harold Veeser's introduction locates allies and opponents, surveys related fields, and identifies now-emerging New Historicist themes: the go-between, hybridization, embarrassment, autobiographical moves and personal writing. His selected bibliography gives access to a wealth of literature devoted to theorizing and attacking New Historicism, a phrase that--if it lacks a referent--has no want of references. In short, The New Historicism Reader offers everything required to know, teach and practice the New Historicism.