American Renaissance: Art and Expression in the Age of Emerson and Whitman: 230 (Galaxy Books) - Softcover

"[Matthiessen's] exploration of the haunted mind of Hawthorne, of Emerson's integrity, of the mental hell in which Melville lived, of Whitman's schizophrenia, of Thoreau's chosen solitude, [has] produced a book unequaled in American critical writing."--The New Republic "Perhaps the most profound work of literary criticism on historical principles by any modern American."--Saturday Review "[Matthiessen's] exploration of the haunted mind of Hawthorne, of Emerson's integrity, of the mental hell in which Melville lived, of Whitman's schizophrenia, of Thoreau's chosen solitude, [has] produced a book unequaled in American critical writing."--The New Republic "Matthiessen has brought to light a rich and complex period....His comments on language and style, in addition to being discerning as criticism, become finally profound reflections on nineteenth-century American society."--Daniel Aaron, Kenyon Review "[Matthiessen's] exploration of the haunted mind of Hawthorne, of Emerson's integrity, of the mental hell in which Melville lived, of Whitman's schizophrenia, of Thoreau's chosen solitude, [has] produced a book unequaled in American critical writing."--The New Republic "Perhaps the most profound work of literary criticism on historical principles by any modern American."--Saturday Review "[Matthiessen's] exploration of the haunted mind of Hawthorne, of Emerson's integrity, of the mental hell in which Melville lived, of Whitman's schizophrenia, of Thoreau's chosen solitude, [has] produced a book unequaled in American critical writing."--The New Republic "Matthiessen has brought to light a rich and complex period....His comments on language and style, in addition to being discerning as criticism, become finally profound reflections on nineteenth-century American society."--Daniel Aaron, Kenyon Review "[Matthiessen's] exploration of the haunted mind of Hawthorne, of Emerson's integrity, of the mental hell in which Melville lived, of Whitman's schizophrenia, of Thoreau's chosen solitude, [has] produced a book unequaled in American critical writing."--The New Republic "[Matthiessen's] exploration of the haunted mind of Hawthorne, of Emerson's integrity, of the mental hell in which Melville lived, of Whitman's schizophrenia, of Thoreau's chosen solitude, [has] produced a book unequaled in American critical writing."--The New Republic "[Matthiessen's] exploration of the haunted mind of Hawthorne, of Emerson's integrity, of the mental hell in which Melville lived, of Whitman's schizophrenia, of Thoreau's chosen solitude, [has] produced a book unequaled in American critical writing."--The New Republic " Matthiessen's exploration of the haunted mind of Hawthorne, of Emerson's integrity, of the mental hell in which Melville lived, of Whitman's schizophrenia, of Thoreau's chosen solitude, has produced a book unequaled in American critical writing."--The New Republic

Studies the views of 5 prominent mid-19th century writers on the function and nature of literature and how they applied these views to their works.