A Historical Guide to Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne remains one of the most widely read and taught of American authors. This Historical Guide collects a number of original essays by Hawthorne scholars that place the author in historical context. Like other volumes in the series A Historical Guide to Nathaniel Hawthorne includes an introduction a brief biography a bibliographical essay and an illustrated chronology of the author''s life and times. Combining cultural criticism with historical scholarship this volume addresses a wide range of topics relevant to Hawthorne''s work including his relationship to slavery children mesmerism and the visual arts.