History of the American Novel

Henry James, Henry Miller, James Baldwin, Herman Melville, Nathaniel Hawthorne, James Agee, Alice Walker, William Faulkner, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Stephen Crane, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ralph Ellison, William Burroughs, Ernest Hemingway, Eudora Welty, Truman Capote, Joan Didion, William Gaddis, Cormac McCarthy, Joseph Heller, Jack Kerouac. To many people, myself included, this list of Americans merits consideration as the founders of our country as least as much as Jefferson, Madison and Washington. Leading us through darkness, forcing us to see ourselves in the harsh light of truth as only fiction can, providing vision for the present and hope for the future.

At the end of this month, March 30 at 3:30 p.m., the department of English will host a panel discussion on the recenly published Cambridge History of the American Novel:

The Cambridge History of the American Novel traces the history of the genre from its emergence in the 18th century to current time. Featuring original essays by scholars from all over the world, the volume includes criticism and offers new views of American classics as well as the role of popular genres-such as science fiction and mystery novels-in the creation of the American literary tradition.

Panelists will include the three general editors of the book: Leonard Cassuto, professor of American literature at Fordham University; Clare Eby, professor of English and acting associate director of the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut; and Benjamin Reiss, professor of English at Emory University. Valerie Babb and Barbara McCaskill of the UGA English department contributed to the volume and will participate in the discussion.

The panel discussion will takeplace at the new Russell Building Special Collections Library and will be moderated by the new director of the Willson Center, Nicholas Allen. A reception will follow, back over in Park Hall (room 261) at 5:30 p.m.

Image: Random photo from your humble blogger's office bookshelf, even more humbly photo-shopped.