American Literature to 1865: Reference Materials

ANB is a biographical resource on American history and culture. It includes 17,453 original biographies from the print editions in addition to new biographies by leading historians added every three months and quarterly updates incorporating new scholarship and factual information. There are some 80,000 hypertext links. Full Text.

The database features comprehensive literary biographies of more than 143,000 past and present authors, historians, journalists, screenwriter, publishers, and playwrights. The biographies discuss the lives and careers of the literary figures profiled, along with the critical response to their works.

The scholarly examination of American literature is a popular field of study both in the United States and globally. From postmodern theory to debates about the canon, from slave narratives to comic books, American literature is one of the most active fields in academia today. The field is characterized by the many cultures, religions, and ethnicities that have contributed to the larger American literary tradition over the past 500 years. The study of literature invites trans-disciplinary collaboration with fields as varied as history, cultural studies, politics, and womens studies making it challenging for students and scholars to stay informed about related areas of study.