The late Tony Tanner was one of the most distinctive and distinguished critical voices on American literature. With a foreword by Edward Said and an introduction by Ian Bell, which place Tanner's work in the larger context of critical approaches to American literature and culture, this book brings together Tanner's essays on a wide range of key American authors. Exploring writers as diverse as Melville, Emerson, Henry James, DeLillo and Pynchon, it offers an introduction to the major figures and themes in nineteenth and twentieth century American literature.
Reviews
"The range of essays in The American Mystery is impressive and speaks to the scope and versatility of Tanner's interest in American Literature...a valuable contribution to the study of U.S. literary history and a well-deserved tribute to one of its most devoted and talented researchers." American Studies
