1894-1961

A collection of essays that provide information about authors who have made significant contributions to American literature, each containing a brief biography, a survey of principal writings, an assessment of the subject's work as a whole, and a bibliography; arranged alphabetically from Vachel Lindsay to Elinor Wylie.

Chronicles the life of Eugene Bullard, the first African-American fighter pilot, discussing his lifelong search for respect, which led him to leave the U.S. and take up residence in Paris.

A humorous memoir talking mostly about small matters and the incredible things people do when they think they're acting sensible.

Examines the life and work of author/artist James Thurber, drawing comparisons between Thurber and the fictional, slightly skewed world of his favorite character Walter Mitty.

Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, are en route to California to settle her family's estate. Once they arrive, a series of mysterious deaths leads them from the winding streets of Chinatown to the unspoken secrets of a parent's marriage and the tragic accident that Mary alone survived. She discovers that even a forgotten past never dies and that it can kill again.

Literary Masterpieces is one series of the trio that makes up the Gale Study Guides to Great Literature (the others are Literary Topics and Literary Masters). Each Literary Masterpieces volume chooses a book by one of the authors covered in Literary Masters and offers a discussion of themes, characters, comparisons with social events of the era when the book was written and a critical analysis. Dashiell Hammett began writing in 1922 and was one of many mystery writers in America at that time. However, he was the most accomplished and his experiences as a Pinkerton detective brought realism to his mystery fiction. The Maltese Falcon, as well as many of his other works, are mysteries of lasting literary worth.

Literary Masters is one series of the trio that makes up the Gale Study Guides to Great Literature (the others are Literary Masterpieces and Literary Topics). Each Literary Masters volume introduces a significant author and covers basic biographical information. Dashiell Hammett popularized the hard-boiled detective in American crime fiction to an art form and drew on his experiences as a private eye to create believable characters in realistic situations.