American literary masters

"American Literary Masters" by Leon H. Vincent is a compilation of essays that surveys the impact of key American writers during a pivotal fifty-year span. Focusing on literary giants such as Washington Irving, William Cullen Bryant, Edgar Allan Poe, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, the collection explores each author's life, style, and role in crafting an American literary identity. The book begins with a detailed look at Irving, exploring his early challenges, ambitions, and the public response to his work, particularly "A History of New York," which marked the beginning of this important time in American letters; it also makes note of Vincent's approach being molded by modern French criticism.