The Business of the Romance Novel
How romance novels—despite their decided lack of cultural clout—became big business for the publishing industry.
Asian Families, the RAND Book, and Science Fiction
New books and scholarship from Stanford University Press, University of Minnesota, and MIT Press.
Was Modernism Meant to Keep the Working Classes Out?
In the 19th century, more working class readers started partaking in contemporary fiction. Modernist literature, however, was specifically not for them.
Samuel Beckett and the Theatre of Resistance
The dark, absurdist humor of Samuel Beckett's work was directly informed by his time in the French Resistance during World War II.
Austen Fans, Modern Belief, and Environmental Politics
New books and scholarship from Oxford University Press, Princeton University Press, and the University Press of Colorado.
Ten Poems about Travel
Poetry about all kinds of travel—from grand adventures to family vacations—by Elizabeth Bishop, Rita Dove, and more.
The Periodicals That Shaped American Boyhood
Nineteenth-century “story papers” gave boys stories they liked, while also encouraging readers to contribute their own material and tell their own stories.
Jarena Lee, The First Woman African American Autobiographer
Jarena Lee was the first female preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1836, she published her autobiography.
The Invention of the Passive Fairy Tale Heroine
European fairy tales featured bold, independent female characters—until the Reformation forced shifts in cultural attitudes towards women.
Jane Austen’s Subtly Subversive Linguistics
Why are Jane Austen books still so beloved? A linguist argues it has more to do with Austen's masterful use of language than with plot.