The Cambridge companion to American fiction after 1945 / edited by John N. Duvall.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Duvall, John N. (John Noel), 1956-

Series:

Cambridge companions to literature

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

American fiction--20th century--History and criticism.

American fiction.

Physical Description:

xvi, 271 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2012.

Summary:

"Each generation revises literary history and this is nowhere more evident than in the post-Second World War period. This Companion offers a comprehensive, authoritative and accessible overview of the diversity of American fiction since the Second World War. Essays by nineteen distinguished scholars provide critical insights into the significant genres, historical contexts, cultural diversity and major authors during a period of enormous American global political and cultural power. This power is overshadowed, nevertheless, by national anxieties growing out of events ranging from the Civil Rights Movement to the rise of feminism; from the Cold War and its fear of Communism and nuclear warfare to the Age of Terror and its different yet related fears of the 'Other'. American fiction since 1945 has faithfully chronicled these anxieties. An essential reference guide, this Companion provides a chronology of the period, as well as guides to further reading"--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction: a story of the stories of American fiction after 1945 / John N. Duvall

Part I. Poetics and Genres: 1. Postmodern metafiction / Amy J. Elias

2. Contemporary realism / Robert Rebein

3. New journalism and the nonfiction novel / Stacey Olster

4. Science fiction / Phillip E. Wegner

5. The short story / Susan Lohafer

Part II. Historical and Cultural Contexts: 6. African American fiction / Keith Byerman

7. American Indian fiction / Nancy J. Peterson

8. Multiethnicities: Latino/a and Asian American fiction / A. Robert Lee

9. American Jewish fiction / Victoria Aarons

10. Feminist fiction / Jane Elliott

11. Southern fiction / Martyn Bone

12. Fiction and the Cold War / Alan Nadel

13. Fiction and 9/11 / John N. Duvall

Part III. Major Authors: 14. Ralph Ellison / Nicole A. Waligora-Davis

15. Flannery O'Connor / Jay Watson

16. Thomas Pynchon / Brian Jarvis

17. Toni Morrison / Linden Peach

18. Don DeLillo / Laura Barrett

Conclusion: whither American fiction? / Jessica Pressman.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780521196314

0521196310

9780521123471

052112347X

OCLC:

752472781

Online:

Contributor biographical information

Cover image