As America's economic and cultural influence grew in the 20th Century, the history of the literary arts in Europe cast a long shadow onto this burgeoning nation. And thus, the myth of the Great American Novel was born of a loaded question—would the United States ever produce a work to rival the accepted great works of Western Culture? Many tried. And, in the trying, many looked to model themselves... [click here for more]
In Beyond Horatio's Philosophy: The Fantasy of Peter S. Beagle, David Stevens examines the fantasy of American writer Peter S. Beagle.
He finds a consistent view of the world and an almost overpowering sense of humor, leading him to conclude that Beagle believes that love is the best thing we have and the only reason for living. His work will be read and enjoyed for generations to come, and Stevens... [click here for more]
The author writes:
This book began as an expansion of my essay, "H. P. Lovecraft: The Decline of the West," in The Weird Tale, but very quickly became something quite different, to the degree that the two works have little save the title in common. I have always been interested in Lovecraft the philosopher, and in my Starmont Reader's Guide to Lovecraft (1982) I attempted a very compressed... [click here for more]