Synopses & Reviews
This is the first critical study of Stephen Crane's nonfiction work -- his urban reportage, travel writing, and war correspondence. Going beyond biography and literary criticism to trace a literary revolution that is a resonating strain in the genealogy of modern American literature, Robertson reveals the broad climate of change that had begun to blur the line between nonfiction writing and fiction in Crane's era. He also explores the life of two writers directly influenced by Crane: Ernest Hemingway and Theodore Dreiser.
Review
"A fresh and illuminating appreciation of Stephen Crane's achievement as a writer, and a valuable study of continuities between modern American literature and the aesthetics and strategies of turn-of-the-century journalism. Anyone interested in American culture cannot help but learn from this lively, well-written reexamination of a key chapter in American literary history." Shelley Fisher Fishkin, author of Lighting Out for the Territory: Reflections on Mark Twain and American Culture
Synopsis
Born in 1871, Stephen Crane came of age when mass-circulation newspapers began to attract readers with stories that resembled realist fiction--such as Crane's RED BADGE OF COURAGE in 1895. Ernest Hemingway and Theodore Dreiser were two writers greatly influenced by Crane's work. This lucid cultural history goes beyond biography to trace a literary revolution that changed the nature of newspaper reporting forever. 6 illustrations.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [211]-[241]) and index.