The Norton Book of American Autobiography »

Jay Parini, a poet and novelist, teaches at Middlebury College. Parini's recent books include The Last Station, Benjamin's Crossing, and Some Necessary Angels: Essays on Writing and Politics.

Gore Vidal's recent books include his collected essays, United States, and a novel, The Smithsonian.

"The essential American form of expression."—from the Introduction by Jay Parini

Library Journal

Norton anthologies, well respected and widely used in classrooms and libraries, cover a variety of literary forms--poetry, essays, interviews, and short stories. For Norton's most recent addition, poet and novelist Parini has compiled over 60 selections from autobiographies and memoirs published since the 17th century. His original manuscript was three times its present size, simply because there was so much to choose from in "a tradition quintessentially American in its forms and performance." The final result includes works by such diverse writers as Henry David Thoreau, U.S. Grant, Gertrude Stein, Malcom X, Mary McCarthy, and Richard Rodriguez. Among other topics, these excerpts discuss childhood, immigration, spiritual enlightenment, and racial, social, and ethnic issues. The selections are arranged chronologically, and each is prefaced by an introduction on its author and its merit. This well-rounded and enjoyable collection is recommended for both academic and public libraries.--Ilse Heidmann, San Marcos, TX