This updated edition of the Cambridge Companion offers accessible coverage of the intricacies of Austen's works in their historical context, with biographical information and suggestions for further reading. Major scholars address Austen's six novels, the letters and other works, in terms accessible to students and the many general readers, as well as to academics. With seven new essays, the Companion now covers topics that have become central to recent Austen studies, for example, gender, sociability, economics, and the increasing number of screen adaptations of the novels.
The essays in this book cover the career of Catherr, including most of her novels and short stories. The essays situate this American novelist's work in a broad range of critical, cultural, and literary contexts. The introduction explores current trends in Cather scholarship and her place in contemporary culture. A detailed chronology and a guide to further reading complete the volume.
Nobel laureate Toni Morrison is a widely studied of contemporary American authors. Her novels have had a dramatic impact on the American canon and attracted considerable critical commentary. This Companion introduces and examines her oeuvre as a whole, not only her famous novels, but also her other literary works (short story, drama, musical, and opera), her social and literary criticism, and her career as an editor and teacher.