Comments

We continue to hear from instructors who are examining or using the Heath Anthology of American Literature for the first time. Here is a sampling of the comments we've received recently.

"Students in my upper-division American literature courses form their own reading lists. They develop these lists largely by examining six anthologies of American literature, which I have placed on reserve in the library. You may be interested to know that the students, without any prompting from me, rely more on the Heath Anthology than any other. They respond both to the selections and the editorial introductions and biographies."
-Professor Mark L. Sargent, Biola University

"Teaching from the Heath Anthology is a high-risk, high-reward venture, fully worth the effort. My students are deeply engaged in the material, motivated, and responsive. I find myself learning as much as `instructing.' The whole classroom experience has been transformed."
-Professor Sherry Sullivan, University of Alabama-Birmingham

"The Heath Anthology of American Literature sets the standard for inclusiveness among anthologies. It opens up new ground for defining American literature."
-Professor Thomas R. Smith, The Pennsylvania State University

"For meeting the demands of diversity and ethnicity and minority contributions to the canon, Heath is the one!"
-Professor Robert Gish, University of Northern Iowa

"I am delighted to find an inclusive text for American literature surveys."
-Professor Janice Lasseter, Samford University

"Splendid on non-canonical American literature. The appearance of the Heath Anthology has allowed us to offer two new American literature courses in new canon literature."
-Professor Robert Kaftan, Rosary College

"The anthology allows and the newsletter encourages the instructor and the student to "major in the minors." I should prefer a text which would be limited to the "major" authors in American literature and thus a less expensive one. The editors yield to the pressures of trying to represent the culture and views of little fragmented groups (to be everything to everybody.) It is therefore almost useless to me and representative of what I consider to be wrong with the current trend."
-Dr. Charles Daniel, Valdosta State College

"You've done a laudatory job of expanding the canon-my congratulations."
-Professor Elizabeth McMahan, Illinois State University

"I really appreciate the ethnic and gender variety in the Anthology. It keeps me interested because I can read material I haven't seen or taught before.
-Professor Bob Henry, Boise State University

"I love the new anthologies and can't wait to teach courses with them when my rotation allows."
-Professor Jeanne Lebow, Northeast Missouri State University

"On selections I generally agree with The Nation. On scholarship The New Criterion is right on the money."
-Professor David Ringer, Oral Roberts University

"I am interested, but need a compact edition. (Can we blow away the canon in one semester?)"
-Professor Beth Romano, Adrian College

"The Heath Anthology represents a major contribution to the study of a multicultural American literature."
-Professor Ronald Billingsley, University of Colorado at Boulder

"Wonderfully inclusive!"
-Professor Simeon Dreyfuss, Pacific University