This book is intended as a companion volume to _Contemporary British
Literature_; but the differences between conditions in America and in
England have made it necessary to alter somewhat the original plan.
In America today we have a few excellent writers who challenge comparison
with the best of present-day England. We have many more who have been
widely successful in the business of making novels, poems, plays, which
cannot rank as literature at all. In choosing from such a large number a
list for study, it is our hope that we have not omitted the name of any
author who counts as a force in our developing literature; but, on the
other hand, it is undoubtedly true that we have excluded many writers
whose work compares favorably with that of some on the list. Our choice
has been governed by two principles: (1) To include experimental
work--work dealing with fresh materials or attempting new methods--rather
than better work on familiar patterns; and (2) to represent varying
tendencies in the literary effort of our country today rather than work
that ranks high in popular taste. The task of doing justice to every
writer is impossible; but we have been primarily concerned not with
writers but with readers--those who wish guidance to the best that there
is in our literature and to the signs that point to the future.
The word _contemporary_ we have interpreted arbitrarily to mean since the
beginning of the War, excluding writers who died before August, 1914, and
living authors who have produced no work since then. Space limitations
made it impossible to go back to the beginning of the century, and no
other date since then is so significant as 1914.
The biographical material is limited to information of interest for the
interpretation of work. The bibliographies are selective except in the
case of the more important authors, for whom they are, for the student's
purpose, complete. The following items have usually been omitted: (1)
books privately printed; (2) separate editions of works included in
larger volumes; (3) unimportant or inaccessible works; (4) works not of a
literary character; (5) English reprints; (6) editions other than the
first. Exceptions to this plan explain themselves.
The stars (*) are merely guides to the reader in long bibliographies and
bibliographies containing works of very unequal merit.
The Suggestions for Reading given in the case of the more important
authors are intended for students who need and desire guidance. It is our
hope that these hints and questions may lead to discussion and
differences of opinion, for dissent is the guidepost to truth. As far as
possible, we have avoided statement of our own opinions.
The Studies and Reviews are the meagre result of long search in
periodical literature. The fact that the photograph and the personal note
bulk far more largely than criticism in America needs no comment here.
Supplementary to the alphabetical list of authors with material for
study, which constitutes the body of the book, are the classified
indexes. These are intended for use in planning courses of study. The
classification according to form suggests the limitation of work to
poets, dramatists, novelists, short-story writers, essayists, critics,
writers on country life, travel, and Nature, humorists, "columnists," and
writers of biography and autobiography. In this connection should be
noted the supplementary list of poets whose names have not been included
in our list but whose work can be studied in one or more of the
anthologies indicated.
The classification according to birthplace (in some cases information
could not be obtained) furnishes material for the study of local groups
of writers.
The classification according to subject matter (including the use of
local color and background), although it is necessarily incomplete,
will, it is hoped, suggest courses of reading on these bases.
Preceding the alphabetical list of authors are bibliographies of
different types, which should be of use in the finding of material: lists
of indexes and critical periodicals; of general works of reference
discussing the period; of collections of poems, plays, short-stories, and
essays; and of bibliographies of short plays and short stories.
* * * * *
Our thanks for criticisms and suggestions are due to Professors Robert
Herrick, Robert Morss Lovett, and Percy Holmes Boynton.
To Mr. G. Teyen, of the Chicago Public Library, we are indebted for
continual help in procuring books, verifying references, and, in general,
for putting the resources of the library at our disposal.