A Journey into the Transcendentalists' New England
by R. Todd Felton
The New England towns and villages that inspired the major figures of the Transcendentalism movement are presented by region in this travel guide that devotes a chapter to each town or village famous for its relationship to one or more of the Transcendentalists. Cambridge, where Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered his powerful speeches is highlighted, as is Walden, where Henry David Thoreau spent two years attuning himself to the rhythms of nature. Other chapters retrace the paths of major writers and poets of the period as well as the utopian communities of the time.
Behind a Mask: The Unknown Thrillers of Louisa May Alcott
by Louisa May Alcott
Six years before she wrote Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, in financial straits, entered "Pauline's Passion and Punishment," a novelette, in a newspaper contest. Not only did it win the $100 prize, but, published anonymously, it marked the first in the series of "blood & thunder tales" that would be her livelihood for years. In Behind a Mask, editor Madeleine Stern introduces four Alcott thrillers: "Pauline's Passion and Punishment," "The Mysterious Key," "The Abbot's Ghost," and the title story, "Behind a Mask."
Leaves of Grass
by Walt Whitman
Leaves of Grass is a poetry collection by American poet Walt Whitman. Though it was first published in 1855, Whitman spent most of his professional life writing and rewriting Leaves of Grass, revising it multiple times until his death. There were multiple versions of this work, each with different poems--the first edition being a small book of twelve poems, and the last, a compilation of over 400.
Mariners, Renegades and Castaways The Story of Herman Melville and the World We Live In
by C L R James
In this complete edition of his seminal work of literary and cultural criticism, Mariners, Renegades, and Castaways, James anticipated many of the concerns and ideas that have shaped the contemporary fields of American and postcolonial studies. In this provocative study of Moby Dick in which he challenged the prevailing Americanist interpretation that opposed a "totalitarian" Ahab and a "democratic, American" Ishmael, James offers instead a vision of a factory-like Pequod whose "captain of industry" leads the crew to their doom.
Selected Poems of Robert Frost: Illustrated Edition
by Robert Frost
Featuring the full contents of Robert Frost's first three volumes of poetry—A Boy's Will, North of Boston, and Mountain Interval—this superbly designed collection is a testament to the beauty of the master’s writing. It gathers more than 100 of Frost’s most renowned poems, including “Mending Wall,” “The Road Not Taken,” and “The Death of the Hired Man.”
The Concord Guide Book
by George Bradford Bartlett
A comprehensive guide to the historic town of Concord, Massachusetts, including its literary and revolutionary significance. This guide book includes detailed descriptions of the town's landmarks, as well as historical context and suggested itineraries for visitors. A must-read for anyone interested in American history and literature.
The Emerson Circle: The Concord Radicals Who Reinvented the World
by Bruce Nichols
Concord wasn’t just a town; it was a crucible of innovation and reform. Luminaries such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Margaret Fuller, Louisa May Alcott, and Henry David Thoreau gathered there, united by ideas that would shape the nation. Nichols recreates this vibrant world, packed with brilliant conversations, emotional correspondences, and the essays, novels, speeches, and poetry that forever marked and changed American culture. Along the way, he shares intimate, surprising details—Thoreau’s frustration with Emerson, Hawthorne’s intense shyness masking deep love and hate—that make these iconic figures human.
The Gilded Age Cookbook
by Becky Libourel Diamond
The Gilded Age Cookbook transports the reader back in time to lavish banquet tables set with snow-white linen tablecloths, delicate china, and sparkling crystal glasses. Cuisine featuring rich soups, juicy roasts, and luscious desserts come to life through historic images and artistic photography.
The House of the Seven Gables
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The House of the Seven Gables is about a New England mansion that is haunted with hardship, sorrow and witchcraft. Hepzibah, a very poor occupant of the house, opens a shop in the home to support her family, including her brother that was just released from prison. When a distant cousin arrives, mysterious and complex happenings occur that highlight the curse placed on the house.
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois: An Oprah's Book Club Pick
by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers
The NAACP Image Award-winning poet makes her fiction debut with this magisterial epic of African American historical fiction-an intimate yet sweeping novel with all the luminescence and force of Homegoing; Sing, Unburied, Sing; and The Water Dancer-that chronicles the journey of one American family, from the centuries of the colonial slave trade through the Civil War to our own tumultuous era.
The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson: A Novel
by Jerome Charyn
Channeling the devilish rhythms and ghosts of a seemingly buried literary past, Charyn removes the mysterious veils that have long enshrouded Dickinson, revealing her passions, inner turmoil, and powerful sexuality. The novel, daringly written in first person, begins in the snow. It's 1848, and Emily is a student at Mount Holyoke, with its mournful headmistress and strict, strict rules. Inspired by her letters and poetry, Charyn goes on to capture the occasionally comic, always fevered, ultimately tragic story of her life-from defiant Holyoke seminarian to dying recluse.
