Ralph Waldo Emerson, a significant American thinker, is portrayed as a challenging and thought-provoking figure in James Marcus' new biography.

The article discusses the author's mixed feelings of envy and admiration towards Ben Lerner, a successful writer.

Norman Mailer, the renowned American Jewish writer, would have turned 100 today.

Laura Riding, a lesser-known American modernist poet, renounced poetry in her 40s and turned to citrus farming and the philosophy of language.

Saul Bellow's story "Something to Remember Me By" is a fictional account that draws inspiration from his own life.

In this article, the author explores the works of several American writers who address themes of alienation, alienation, and the overwhelming flow of information in post-World War II America.

This text discusses the theme of failure in early 20th century American literature.

Richard Howard's "Alone with America" is a critique of postwar American poetry, analyzing the works of 41 poets who struggled with America's disconnection from tradition and modernity.

In this four-part series on American literature, the author explores what it means to be American through the works of Hawthorne, Emerson, Melville, and Dickinson.

The text discusses the evolution of taste-making systems in American literature and the impact of digital technologies on literary culture.

The exhibit "Mark Twain and the Holy Land" at the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library celebrates the 150th anniversary of Mark Twain's travelogue "The Innocents Abroad."

The article discusses the significance of books in marking time periods and recommends three novels as beach reads for the summer.

Philip Roth, known as the most secular of the late 20th-century American literary giants alongside Updike and Bellow, initially showed little interest in metaphysical or transcendental questions in his works which focused on psychological realism.

Renowned writer Philip Roth was known for his blend of sophistication and spontaneity, embodying duality in his life and work as seen in his writing process and varied influences from high culture to popular music.

Philip Levine, the late Poet Laureate of the United States, focused on industrial and proletarian themes in his work, often portraying the exhaustion and routine of factory life in Detroit.

Bernard Avishai reflects on his book "Promiscuous: 'Portnoy's Complaint and Our Doomed Pursuit of Happiness," exploring how Philip Roth's famous novel impacted his life and those of many Americans.

The text discusses the significance of initials in E.L. Doctorow's name, revealing that the "E" stands for Edgar, honoring Edgar Allan Poe, a favorite writer of Doctorow's father.

Herman Melville, known for his novel Moby-Dick, faced disappointment and financial struggles in the aftermath of its poor reception.