Book excerpt: A Short Literary History of the United States offers an introduction to American Literature for students who want to acquaint themselves with the most important periods, authors, and works of American literary history. Comprehensive yet concise, it provides an essential overview of the different currents in American literature in an accessible, engaging style. This book features: the pre-colonial era to the present, including new media formats the evolution of literary traditions, themes, and aesthetics readings of individual texts, contextualized within American cultural history literary theory in the United States a core reading list in American Literature an extended glossary and study aid. This book is ideal as a companion to courses in American Literature and American Studies, or as a study aid for exams.