American Literary Criticism Since the 1930s fully updates Vincent B. Leitch's classic book, American Literary Criticism from the 30s to the 80s following the development of the American academy right up to the present day.Updated throughout and with a brand new chapter, this second edition:provides a critical history of American literary theory and practice, discussing the impact of major schools and movements examines the social and cultural background to literary research, considering the role of key theories and practices provides profiles of major figures and influential texts, outlining the connections among theorists presents a new chapter on developments since the 1980s, including discussions of feminist, queer, postcolonial and ethnic criticism. Comprehensive and engaging, this book offers a crucial overview of the development of literary studies in American universities, and a springboard to further research for all those interested in the development and study of Literature.

Preface 1. Marxist Criticism in the 1930s 2. The "New Criticism" 3. The Chicago School 4. The New York Intellectuals 5. Myth Criticism 6. Phenominological and Existential Criticism 7. Hermenuitics 8. Reader-Response Criticism 9. Literary Structuralism and Semiotics 10. Deconstructive Criticism 11. Feminist Criticism 12. Black Aesthetics 13. Cultural Criticism from the 1960s to the 1980s 14. American Criticism Since 1987. Notes. Index