The Great American Novel

The Great American Novel PDF Author: Philip Roth
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 1466846445
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 496

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Book Description
Philip Roth's richly imagined satiric narrative, The Great American Novel, turns baseball's status as national pastime and myth into an unfettered farce Featuring heroism and perfidy, lively wordplay and a cast of characters that includes the House Un-American Activities Committee. "Roth is better than he's ever been before.... The prose is electric." (The Atlantic) Gil Gamesh is the only pitcher who ever tried to kill the umpire, and John Baal, The Babe Ruth of the Big House, never hit a home run sober. But you've never heard of them -- or of the Ruppert Mundys, the only homeless big-league ball team in American history -- because of the communist plot and the capitalist scandal that expunged the entire Patriot League from baseball memory.

The Great American Novel

The Great American Novel PDF Author: Philip Roth
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 1466846445
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 496

Get Book

Book Description
Philip Roth's richly imagined satiric narrative, The Great American Novel, turns baseball's status as national pastime and myth into an unfettered farce Featuring heroism and perfidy, lively wordplay and a cast of characters that includes the House Un-American Activities Committee. "Roth is better than he's ever been before.... The prose is electric." (The Atlantic) Gil Gamesh is the only pitcher who ever tried to kill the umpire, and John Baal, The Babe Ruth of the Big House, never hit a home run sober. But you've never heard of them -- or of the Ruppert Mundys, the only homeless big-league ball team in American history -- because of the communist plot and the capitalist scandal that expunged the entire Patriot League from baseball memory.

The Dream of the Great American Novel

The Dream of the Great American Novel PDF Author: Lawrence Buell
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674726324
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 582

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Book Description
The first book in many years to take in the full sweep of national fiction, The Dream of the Great American Novel explains why this supposedly antiquated idea continues to thrive. It shows that four G.A.N. "scripts" are keys to the dynamics of American literature and identity--and to the myth of a nation perpetually under construction.

The Great American Novel

The Great American Novel PDF Author: William Carlos Williams
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : American fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 92

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Book Description


Gatsby

Gatsby PDF Author: Bob Batchelor
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
ISBN: 0810891964
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 319

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Book Description
In 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald produced his third novel, a slim work for which he had high expectations. Despite such hopes, the novel received mixed reviews and lackluster sales. Over the decades, however, the reputation of The Great Gatsby has grown and millions of copies have been sold. One of the bestselling novels of all time, it is also considered one of the most significant achievements in twentieth-century fiction. But what makes Gatsby great? Why do we still care about this book more than eighty-five years after it was published? And how does Gatsby help us make sense of our own lives and times? In Gatsby: The Cultural History of the Great American Novel, Bob Batchelor explores the birth, life, and enduring influence of The Great Gatsby—from the book’s publication in 1925 through today’s headlines filled with celebrity intrigue, corporate greed, and a roller-coaster economy. A cultural historian, Batchelor explains why and how the novel has become part of the fiber of the American ethos and an important tool in helping readers to better comprehend their lives and the broader world around them. A “biography” of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, this book examines The Great Gatsby’s evolution from a nearly-forgotten 1920s time capsule to a revered cultural touchstone. Batchelor explores how this embodiment of the American Dream has become an iconic part of our national folklore, how the central themes and ideas emerging from the book—from the fulfillment of the American Dream to the role of wealth in society—resonate with contemporary readers who struggle with similar uncertainties today. By exploring the timeless elements of reinvention, romanticism, and relentless pursuit of the unattainable, Batchelor confirms the novel’s status as “The Great American Novel” and, more importantly, explains to students, scholars, and fans alike what makes Gatsby so great.

No Time to Spare

No Time to Spare PDF Author: Ursula K. Le Guin
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 1328661598
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
From acclaimed author Ursula K. Le Guin, a collection of thoughts--always adroit, often acerbic--on aging, belief, the state of literature, and the state of the nation

The Brothers K

The Brothers K PDF Author: David James Duncan
Publisher: Dial Press
ISBN: 030775524X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 654

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Book Description
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK Once in a great while a writer comes along who can truly capture the drama and passion of the life of a family. David James Duncan, author of the novel The River Why and the collection River Teeth, is just such a writer. And in The Brothers K he tells a story both striking and in its originality and poignant in its universality. This touching, uplifting novel spans decades of loyalty, anger, regret, and love in the lives of the Chance family. A father whose dreams of glory on a baseball field are shattered by a mill accident. A mother who clings obsessively to religion as a ward against the darkest hour of her past. Four brothers who come of age during the seismic upheavals of the sixties and who each choose their own way to deal with what the world has become. By turns uproariously funny and deeply moving, and beautifully written throughout, The Brothers K is one of the finest chronicles of our lives in many years. Praise for The Brothers K “The pages of The Brothers K sparkle.”—The New York Times Book Review “Duncan is a wonderfully engaging writer.”—Los Angeles Times “This ambitious book succeeds on almost every level and every page.”—USA Today “Duncan’s prose is a blend of lyrical rhapsody, sassy hyperbole and all-American vernacular.”—San Francisco Chronicle “The Brothers K affords the . . . deep pleasures of novels that exhaustively create, and alter, complex worlds. . . . One always senses an enthusiastic and abundantly talented and versatile writer at work.”—The Washington Post Book World “Duncan . . . tells the larger story of an entire popular culture struggling to redefine itself—something he does with the comic excitement and depth of feeling one expects from Tom Robbins.”—Chicago Tribune

Shim-Sham

Shim-Sham PDF Author: Cameron Sugar
Publisher: Page Publishing Inc
ISBN: 1644629682
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 336

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Book Description
When fifteen-year-old Ramazac is thrown from a Malaysian oil derrick by his wildcat father with the admonition, "Bon voyage, bitch boy! Hope you float longer than your mom did," the only thing he could think about was missing his rig tail. On the other hand, when Troy, the Newport Beach High School quarterback, gets shipped off to religious camp as punishment for downloading music, he's convinced it's a death sentence designed to ruin his life. The result is Shim-Sham is a coming-of-age story celebrating two fantastically unique souls with only one thing in common: a Fijian princess. In Shim-Sham, we experience the implausible misadventure of Ramazac and the torturous journey of Troy as only they could tell it. While the two boys don't actually know each other, they are about to get introduced and it will change their lives. But before they meet at summer's end, they're introduced to demolition experts for the KKK; preachers drinking sake, rigging lotteries and fleecing dances from strippers;, a redneck thug with a powerful addiction to Rocky Mountain oysters who sings Dixie in Spanish, crazed lawyers, crooked judges, puppy love, Navy SEALSs, kidnappings, fraternity scams, three continents, several states, and one hell of a history lesson.

The Contrast

The Contrast PDF Author: Royall Tyler
Publisher: BoD - Books on Demand
ISBN:
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 82

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Book Description
"The Contrast" is a play written by Royall Tyler, first performed in 1787. It's considered one of the earliest American comedies and is notable for being the first American play to be professionally produced. The play contrasts American manners and attitudes with those of European society, particularly British society. It satirizes various aspects of American life and culture, including politics, social class, and gender roles. Overall, "The Contrast" is a significant work in American theater history for its portrayal of early American identity and its contributions to the development of comedy in the United States.

Miss Ravenel's Conversion from Secession to Loyalty

Miss Ravenel's Conversion from Secession to Loyalty PDF Author: John William De Forest
Publisher: e-artnow
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 450

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Book Description
Lillie Ravenel is a teenage girl from Louisiana, brought to the north by her loyalist father at the outbreak of the American Civil War. She is pursued by two contrasting suitors. Captain Edward Colburne is a virtuous New Englander whose bland goodness makes him seem a perfect match for the uninspiring Miss Ravenel. Her second suitor, Colonel John Carter is a native Virginian, but loyal to the Union. Opposite to Colburne likes to drink and gamble, but he is a man of honor and an admirable military officer. Friendship with these men of the North brings the change in her belief, eventually converting her to the cause of the Union. She returns to New Orleans only to find herself shunned by her old circle of friends for having too many associations with the enemy. Civil War battles that Lillie's suitors go through are described as a bloody and inglorious hell.

The Cambridge History of the American Novel

The Cambridge History of the American Novel PDF Author: Leonard Cassuto
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521899079
Category : Literary Collections
Languages : en
Pages : 1271

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Book Description
An authoritative and lively account of the development of the genre, by leading experts in the field.