Book excerpt: THE CONCISE HEATH ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE, Volume 1: BEGINNINGS TO 1865, Second Edition, brings the expansive, inclusive approach of Volumes A and B of THE HEATH ANTHOLOGY to a single-volume format. While other one-volume editions anthologize primarily familiar canonical works, the new CONCISE HEATH, Volume 1, offers a fresh perspective on American literature by showcasing the extraordinary diversity of literature written between the beginnings of the cultures of the "Americas" and 1865.