Kaleidoscope
Stories of the American Experience
Published on 7. January 1993
Book
Paperback/Softback
688 pages
978-0-19-507222-8 (ISBN)
Description
This innovative multicultural reader gathers together diaries, histories, autobiographies, short stories, and excerpts from novels to bring the many facets of the American experience to life, from sixteenth-century explorations to this century's ongoing saga of immigration and acculturation. Extending the traditional boundaries of the American literary canon, the editors first offer a comprehensive overview of the history of multicultural social and literary
patterns in the United States, and then present a wealth of richly diverse stories--construing that term in the broadest possible sense--from both celebrated and lesser-known authors emphasizing pluralistic
experience. Whenever possible, they present narratives of cross-cultural contact and exchange, rather than reports of cultures observed in isolation. Offering a uniquely broad range of readings within a strong thematic structure, Kaleidoscope is an enjoyable and enlightening reader for anyone interested in American literature and history, or the new emphasis on multiculturalism.
patterns in the United States, and then present a wealth of richly diverse stories--construing that term in the broadest possible sense--from both celebrated and lesser-known authors emphasizing pluralistic
experience. Whenever possible, they present narratives of cross-cultural contact and exchange, rather than reports of cultures observed in isolation. Offering a uniquely broad range of readings within a strong thematic structure, Kaleidoscope is an enjoyable and enlightening reader for anyone interested in American literature and history, or the new emphasis on multiculturalism.
Reviews / Votes
"The section covering post-World War II America is particularly useful to instructors of Western American literature....[T]he anthology's strength is in its diversity, a geographical and cultural zigzag....For Barbara and George Perkins, the magical transformation into "American" exists, though not at the expense of cultural expression. Their anthology is one such colorful expression."--Western American Literature"After looking for an anthology for a first-time offered Multicultural American Literature class, I found Kaleidoscope to be the perfect solution...the selection is excellent."--Ted Pelton, Lakeland College
"Good variety, well presented, interesting arrangement."--Eileen Oliver, Washington State University
"I like the comprehensiveness of the offerings--16th century to the present."--Catharine Seigel, Rhode Island School of Design
"The primary virtue of this anthology is that it brings together a wide range of provocative pieces not usually found in anthologies."--Allen E. Hibbard, Damascus University
"Brilliant idea--could be used as additional reading for any survey course in American literature. The selections are fascinating, student-friendly, and relevant. Bravo!"--Alex Vardamis, University of Vermont
"An extremely valuable anthology of the multicultural range of American lives. The best work of its kind to date."--Ashton Nichols, Dickinson College
"How refreshing to find a multicultural reader with quality selections."--George Klawitter, Viterbo College
"There is a lot of good material intelligently and coherently organized in this anthology; indeed it's a very attractive production altogether."--E.N. Feltskog, University of Wisconsin, Madison
"Admirably wide-ranging."--Juan Leon, University of Michigan
"I like the comprehensiveness of the offerings."--Catharine Seigel, Rhode Island School of Design
"Interesting span of texts on the American experience--good specimens of primary texts."--Brenda W. Thomas, LaGrange College
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight
1030 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-507222-8 (9780195072228)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
George Perkins is editor of The American Tradition in Literature (Seventh Edition, 1990), the leading American literature survey text. George and Barbara Perkins are co-authors or co-editors of Contemporary American Literature (1988), The Reader's Encyclopedia of American literature (1991), and Women's Work: American Literature by Women (1994), and founders and editors of The Journal of Narrative Technique.
Content
Introduction: The American Multicultural Experience; Notes toward Understanding Giovanni da Verrazzano (c. 1485-1528): Verrazzano's Voyage: 1524 Alva Nunez Cabeza de Vaca (c. 1490-1557): [from] The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca Samuel de Champlain (c. 1567-1635): [from] Voyages of Samuel de Champlain John Smith (1580-1631): [from] The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles William Bradford (1590-1657): [from] Of Plymouth Plantation Mary Rowlandson (1636?-1711?): [from] A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson James Smith (1737-1812): [from] An Account of the Remarkable Occurrences in the Life and Travels of Col. James Smith Olaudah Equiano (1745?-1797?): [from] The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano Charles Johnston (1769-1833): [from] A Narrative of the Incidents Attending the Capture, Detention, and Ransom of Charles Johnston of Virginia Frances Trollope (1780-1863): [from] Domestic Manners of the Americans Washington Irving (1783-1859): Rip Van Winkle John James Audubon (1785-1851): The Prairie William Apes (1798-?): [from] A Son of the Forest Nathaniel Hawthore (1804-1864): The Maypole of Merry Mount William Gilmore Simms (1806-1870): The Two Camps Harriet Jacobs (c. 1813-1897): [from] Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Frederick Douglass (c. 1815-1862): [from] The Heroic Slave Francis Parkman (1823-1893): [from] La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West Rebecca Harding Davis (1831-1910): John Lamar George Washington Cable (1844-1925): "Posson Jone'" Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins (1844-1891): [from] Life Among the Piutes Kate Chopin (1851-1904): La Belle Zoraide Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932): The Sheriff's Children Abraham Cahan (1860-1951): Circumstances Edith Maud Eaton (Sui Sin Far) (1865-1914): Willa Cather (1873-1947): Neighbour Rosicky Ole Roelvaag (1876-1931): [from] Giants in the Earth Mary Antin (1881-1949): [from] The Promised Land Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960): [from] Dust Tracks on the Road John Joseph Mathews (c. 1894-1979): [from] Wah'kon-Tah Michael Gold (1894-1967): [from] Jews Without Money Jean Toomer (1894-1967): [from] Becky William Faulkner (1897-1962): A Justice Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977): [from] Pnin James T. Farrell (1904- ): Studs William Saroyan (1908-1981): Antranik of Armenia Richard Wright (1908-1960): [from] Black Boy Jerre Mangione (1909- ): [from] Mount Allegro Pietro Di Donato (1911- ): [from] Christ in Concrete Carlos Bulosan (1913-1956): [from] America Is in the Heart Ralph Ellison (1914- ): Flying Home Saul Bellow (1915- ): A Silver Dish Louis Chu (1915-1970): [from] Eat a Bowl of Tea Yoshiko Uchida (1921- ): Tears of Autumn John Okada (1923-1971): [from] No-No Boy Maya Angelou (1928- ): [from] I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Nash Candelaria (1928- ): El Patron Toni Morrison (1931- ): [from] Sula Ved Mehta (1934- ): [from] Sound-Shadows of the New World N. Scott Momaday (1934- ): [from] The Way to Rainy Mountain Maxine Hong Kingston (1940- ): The Grandfather of the Sierra Nevada Mountains Daniela Gioseffi (1941- ): Rosa in Television Land Joseph Geha (1944- ): News from Phoenix Charles Johnson (1948- ): Exchange Value Leslie Marmon Silko (1948- ): The Man to Send Rain Clouds Jamaica Kincaid (1949- ): Mariah Amy Tan (1952- ): Half and Half Louise Erdrich (1954- ): The Red Convertible