A HISTORY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE SINCE 1870

A History of American Literature Since 1870 by Fred Lewis Pattee provides a comprehensive exploration of the evolution of American literature in the post-Civil War era. Pattee examines the shifting cultural social and literary landscapes that shaped modern American prose poetry and essay writing. Dividing the literary history into distinct periods—Knickerbocker New England and National—this seminal work underscores the influence of historical events such as the Civil War industrialization and westward expansion on American literary output. It highlights key authors like Mark Twain Walt Whitman and Bret Harte alongside emerging genres like dialect poetry and realistic fiction which reflect the nation's burgeoning identity. This book is essential for readers interested in understanding the genesis of America's literary nationalism and the profound transformation of its cultural consciousness during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.