The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature gathers together 350 essays from more than 190 leading scholars on the whole of American literature, from European discovery to the present. At the core of the Encyclopedia lie essays on poets, playwrights, essayists, and novelists. Figures such as Whitman, Melville, Faulkner, Frost, and Morrison are discussed in detail with each examined in the context of his or her times, an assessment of the writer’s current reputation, a bibliography of major works, and a list of major critical and biographical works about the writer. Entries on major works place them in their historical context and offer a range of possibilities with regard to critical approach. The Encyclopedia also contains essays on literary movements, periods, and themes, pulling together a broad range of information and making connections between them. Each entry has its own primary and annotated secondary bibliography, and a system of cross-references helps readers locate information with ease. It is an outstanding reference source for students and scholars, libraries, and readers interested in American literature.