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The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Multiethnic American Literature [Five Volumes]
Book Code: GR3059
ISBN: 0-313-33059-X
ISBN-13: 978-0-313-33059-9
2692 pages, photos
Greenwood Press
Publication: 10/30/2005
List Price: $525.00 (UK Sterling Price: £300.00)
Availability: In Stock
Media Type: Hardcover
Also Available: Ebook
Trim Size: 7 x 10
Subjects: Awards:
  • Booklist Editors' Choice 2006
  • Choice Outstanding Academic Titles, 2006
  • ALA/RUSA 2006 Outstanding Reference Source
Reviews:
  • [A] major resource on ethnic American writers from the Colonial era, to the present....Featuring well over 1000 entries, the work celebrates American cultual diversity in all its vastness, covering not only key writers but also works, genres, major events, and much more. [A] clearly organized and thoughtfully produced five-volume reference set that describes ethnic contributors to American literature....Recommended for high school. college, and larger public libraries.
    —Library Journal
    October 1, 2005/January 2006
  • A comprehensive set unique in its scope, this encyclopedia is an excellent foundational resource that adds much to the growing field of ethnic American literature. Many resources devoted to ethnic literatures have traditionally been exclusive groupings of multicultural African American, Native American, Hispanic American, and Jewish American literature. In this new multivolume work, a plethora of often-overlooked ethnic American writing can be found in over 1,100 entries on topics that include Swedish American literature, bilingualism, canon, immigration, Native American gay literature, and Italian American film (complete with an entry for HBO's The Sopranos, discussing among other things, its cultural impact upon the stereotyping of Italian culture). In addition, central characters of major works are interspersed among the alphabetically listed entries....[t]his encyclopedia provides a necessary framework for understanding and appreciating diversity by embracing American ethnic literature in its entirety. Highly recommended. All library collections; all levels.
    —Choice
    April 2006
  • This is a perfect resource for students (and librarians) who wish to find authors who are of a specific ethnicity. This is a good starting point for research, providing basic information and cross-references to related topics. This could be used by advanced junior high school students and certainly by all high school students, primarily in literature courses. Recommended.
    —Library Media Connection
    October 2006
  • Unique to this set is its scope; it is the first reference work that aspires to provide a comprehensive sketch of American ethnic writing....This work is recommended without reservation for larger public libraries and academic libraries.
    —Reference & User Services Quarterly
    Summer 2006
  • [A]ny library that serves a population which has an interest in literature, whatever its ethnic status, would do well to have this handsome work on its shelves.
    —Reference Reviews
    June 2006
  • The publication of this encyclopedia is worthy of celebration. An ambitious project, it "is the first reference work that seeks to offer a comprehensive introduction to a spectacularly diverse range of ethnic American writing." The editor and contributors live up to that statement. The represented ethnic literatures include African American, Amish, Chinese American, Jewish American, Native American, and Vietnamese American, among many others. There are over 1,100 signed entries, of which approximately 1,000 are on individual authors. Entries run in length from one to several pages and are followed by a list of suggested readings....Highly recommended, this is an essential work for high school, college, and public libraries.
    —MultiCultural Review
    Summer 2006
  • [V]ery highly recommended staple for any college-level collection strong in literature. Over 300 specialists contribute to a reference which includes writers with both international reputations and local fame. Topic as well as author entries make it easy to cross-reference information for associative study, while listings blend biography and review of major works with critical analysis. to...contribute to Literature
    —MBR Bookwatch - California Bookwatch
    January 2007
  • Truly multiethnic in scope, this encyclopedia assembles a wealth of information for libraries that are now peppered with numerous volumes devoted to a single ethnic literary tradition. More that 300 contributors provide authoritative information on concepts, major works, events, people, and publishers that represent the literatures and voices of the multiethnic American experience. Numerous entries focus on individual authors. Further readings and black-and-white images are included. Breadth and readability make this a wonderful resource for students and general readers alike.
    —American Libraries
    May 2006
  • An exploration of the breadth of ethnic literature in the U.S. The set contains more than 1100 signed alphabetical entries, with over 1000 of them focusing on individual authors. In addition to these well-written profiles, the work also contains articles on specific topics ("Caribbean American Novel," "Native American Poetry," "Japanese American Autobiography") and on key works (Toni Morrison's Beloved, Piri Thomas's Down These Mean Streets, and Bharati Mukherjee's Jasmine). Numerous ethnic groups are represented-writers whose heritage is Amish, Jewish, Italian, and Asian among others. There are surprises, too-such as the articles about Ellis Island, its western counterpart Angel Island, and Wounded Knee....The scope of the biographical entries is incredible-from the prolific to the obscure, from Dr. Seuss to M*A*S*H creator Larry Gelbart. The extensive index is excellent, and the introduction is thought-provoking.
    —School Library Journal
    April 2006
  • Starred Review This wondefully wide-ranging and comprehensive set is unique in its breadth of coverage of the history, trends, and current directions of the nebulous category of writing in the U.S. called multicultural literature. Everything from influential works to prominent events and places in the sociopolitical history of America's ethnic groups is covered....[t]his is a fine contribution to the still-emerging and growing study of the widely varied multicultural literature of the U.S. Highly recommended for academic and public libraries.
    —Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
    March 1, 2006
Description: While other works cover individual ethnic literary traditions, this massive encyclopedia is the first to offer a comprehensive introduction to the spectacularly diverse range of ethnic American writers. Included are more than 1100 alphabetically arranged entries by more than 300 scholars. While most of the entries are on individual writers, others cover seminal works, ethnic stereotypes, literary genres, the writings of particular ethnic groups, places that are prominent in ethnic histories, major historical events, key pieces of legislation affecting ethnic populations, and various other topics that form the social context surrounding multiethnic American literature. The collaborative effort of more than 300 specialists working under the direction of distinguished scholar and editor Emmanuel S. Nelson, the encyclopedia also benefits from the guidance of an exceptional advisory board, including:
  • Kenneth J. Cerniglia
  • Roberta Fernandez
  • Thomas S. Gladsky
  • Guiyou Huang
  • Arnold Krupat
  • Paul Lauter
  • Ann R. Shapiro
  • And Loretta G. Woodard.

    While many of the writers covered have international reputations, others are emerging artists and little has been written about them. Among the biographical entries are:
  • Meena Alexander
  • Jimmy Santiago Baca
  • Gwendolyn Brooks
  • Sandra Cisneros
  • Jupiter Hammon
  • Angela Jackson
  • June Jordan
  • Jamaica Kincaid
  • Bernard Malamud
  • Toni Morrison
  • And many more.
    In addition, the encyclopedia includes entries on such topics as:
  • Abolition
  • African American Young Adult Literature
  • Armenian Genocide
  • Carpatho-Rusyn Literature
  • Chinese American Stereotypes
  • Cuban American Poetry
  • Diaspora
  • Ellis Island
  • Eurocentrism
  • Greek American Autobiography
  • Jewish American Theatre
  • Korean American Literature
  • Lithuanian American Literature
  • Multiculturalism
  • Native American Drama
  • Puerto Rican American Drama
  • Signifying
  • Slavery
  • Womanism
  • And many others.
    So too, the encyclopedia provides entries on a wide range of works, including:
  • The Autobiography of Malcolm X
  • Black Boy
  • Ceremony
  • The House on Mango Street
  • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
  • The Joy Luck Club
  • M. Butterfly
  • Mumbo Jumbo
  • Native Son
  • Passing
  • And many more.

    Features:
  • Begins with a lucid introductory essay by Paul Lauter, editor of the groundbreaking and controversial Heath Anthology of American Literature and a pioneer in multicultural studies.
  • Includes more than 1100 alphabetically arranged entries.
  • Utilizes the knowledge and expertise of more than 300 scholars.
  • Covers the entire range of ethnic American literature, from the colonial era to the present.
  • Includes entries on major canonical writers taught at all levels.
  • Gives special attention to contemporary writers and emerging authors.
  • Acknowledges the contributions of women writers from diverse ethnic groups.
  • Provides survey entries on significant ethnic American literatures.
  • Includes entries on the most important and widely studied works.
  • Presents entries on literary genres and topics.
  • Entries on stereotypes, legislation, historical events, and social issues relate ethnic American literature to its various contexts.
  • Provides an alphabetical list of entries.
  • Lists entries grouped in topical categories.
  • Entries cite numerous works for student research.
  • Provides a selected, general bibliography of the most important broad works on ethnic American literature.
  • Includes a detailed index and full cross-references.
  • A generous selection of illustrations showcases the life and works of ethnic American writers.

    Benefits:
  • Illuminates works central to an understanding of American cultural diversity.
  • Demonstrates the vast achievements of ethnic Americans.
  • Helps students understand and appreciate the accomplisments of members of diverse cultural groups.
  • Assists students in comparing and contrasting the experiences of different ethnic groups.
  • Inspires students to view their own lives in terms of their ethnic backgrounds.
  • Helps students use literature to learn about contemporary and historical social issues.
  • Gives students a model for writing about literature and its social contexts.
  • Encourages students to conduct further research.

    Because American society is increasingly diverse, students need to understand and value the perspectives and experiences of different ethnic groups. Literature presents social history in capsule form, and this encyclopedia will be a crucial reference for high school students and teachers interested in understanding contemporary American society. Public libraries, especially those serving ethnic communities, will also welcome this valuable resource, as will colleges and universities.
  • Table of Contents:
    • List of Entries
    • Guide to Related Topics
    • Preface
    • Introduction by Paul Lauter
    • The Encyclopedia
    • Selected Bibliography
    • Advisory Board
    • About the Editor and Contributors
    • Index
    LC Card Number: 2005018960
    LCC Class: PS153
    Dewey Class: 810
    PDF Catalogs:
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