A History of American Literature

"A History of American Literature" by Percy Holmes Boynton is an in-depth exploration that examines the origins and growth of writing in America. It looks at the important writers and changes in literature over time, giving readers a look into how American thinking and culture grew. The book starts by explaining how American literature came from many different places, especially from ideas that settlers brought from England. The start of American writing was special compared to other countries with old writing traditions. The first part talks about how the Puritans and Royalists shaped the writing scene in America back in the 1600s, and their reasons for being here affected the way things were written. The author reflects on how early American writing was a combination of deep religious feeling, practical writing, and the beginnings of what would become important literature later on, setting up the reader for a deeper study of writers and their impact.