Synopses & Reviews
While the short story has existed in various forms for centuries, it has particularly flourished during the last hundred years, and especially in recent decades. Though many outstanding novels have been written in the 20th century, most of these writers have also published short fiction. And in many cases, their short stories exhibit a greater degree of coherence and integrity than their longer works. The rise of creative writing programs in the 1960s helped fuel the growth of the short story and brought academic attention to it. So, too, the emergence of multiculturalism encouraged authors of diverse backgrounds to write about their cultures. This reference is a guide to the contemporary English-language short story. Included are alphabetically arranged entries for roughly 50 English-language short story writers from around the world, such as Chinua Achebe, John Barth, Jamaica Kincaid, Salman Rushdie, and Amy Tan. More than half the American writers profiled are from historically marginalized groups, such as Jewish-Americans, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans. Most of these authors have been active since 1960, and they reflect a wide range of experiences and perspectives in their works. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and includes biographical material, a brief review of existing criticism, a lengthier analysis of specific works, and a selected bibliography of primary and secondary sources. The volume begins with a detailed introduction to the short story genre and concludes with an annotated bibliography of major works on short story theory.
Synopsis
Though many outstanding novels have been written in the last century, most of these novelists have also been short story writers. This reference is a guide to contemporary English-language short story writers and their works. Included are alphabetically arranged entries on roughly 50 writers from around the world, most of whom have been active since 1960. More than half the American writers belong to historically marginalized groups, such as Jewish-Americans, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans, and the volume includes entries for slightly more women than men. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and provides biographical material, a review of criticism, an extended analysis of specific works, and a selected bibliography.
Description
"Selected annotated bibliography": p. [413]-419. Includes bibliographical references and index.
About the Author
ERIN FALLON is a graduate student in English at the University of New Orleans.R.C. FEDDERSEN is a Doctoral Candidate and Teaching Associate in the Department of English at Oklahoma State University.JAMES KURTZLEBEN is currently a web designer for Inlet, Inc.MAURICE A. LEE is Professor of English and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Central Arkansas.SUSAN ROCHETTE-CRAWLEY is Assistant Professor of English and Coordinator of the Creative Writing Program at the University of Northern Iowa.
Table of Contents
Introduction
China Achebe by Charles Dameron
Ama Atu Aidoo by Susan Rochette-Crawley
Jessica Anderson by Selina Samuels
Margaret Eleanor Atwood by Linda H. Straubel &Gayle Elliott
Toni Cade Bambara by Carol Franko
John Simmons Barth by Terry J. Martin
Donald Barthelme by Jerome Klinkowitz
Ann Beattie by Michael Young and Troy Thibodeaux
Morely Callaghan by Grant Tracey
Angela Olive Carter by Erica Benson
Raymond Carver by Hilary Siebert
Sandra Cisneros by L.M. Lewis
Robert Coover by Wayne B. Stengel
Anita Desai by Minoli Salgado
Louise Erdrich by Norma C. Wilson
Richard Ford by Larry D. Griffin
Janet Frame by Susan Rochette-Crawley
Ernest J. Gaines by Mary Ellen Doyle
Mavis Gallant by Michael Trussler
Nadine Gordimer by Christine Loflin
Patricia Grace by Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure
Gish Jen by R.C. Fedderson
Charles Richard Johnson by Scharron A. Shy-Clayton
Elizabeth Jolley by Brian Dibble
Jamaica Kincaid by Hemine Lee
Maxine Hong Kingston by Jenny Wang
Doris Lessing by Richard Oehling
Bernard Malamud by Begona Sio Castineira
Bobbie Ann Mason by Cheryl Roberts
James Alan McPherson by James Kurtzleben
Loorie Moore by Susan Rochette-Crawley
Bharati Mukherjee by Sherry Morton-Mollo
Alice Munro by J.R. (Tim) Struthers
R.K. Narayan by Britta Olinder
Tim O'Brien by Brady Harrison
Michael Ondaatje by Allan Weiss
Grace Paley by Ann Charters
Velma Pollard by Pierre-Damien Mvuyekure
Victor S. Prichett by Karen Tracey
Jean Rhys by Paul Kotrodimos
Salman Rushdie by Farhat Iftekharrudin
Samuel Selvon by Hermine Lee
Olive Senior by Mary Gravitt
Leslie Marmon Silko by Neil Nakadate
Amy Tan by Elias Ellefson
William Trevor by Miriam Marty Clark