Kirk Curnutt

At various stages of his life, the celebrated American writer William Faulkner (1897-1962) presented himself as a literary dandy, a shabby bohemian, a wounded war veteran, a humble farmer, a courtly lover, and a genteel but aloof Southerner. In private and public, he was masterful at making people wonder who he really was. As Kirk Curnutt acknowledges, Faulkner was first...

Piece together one of Jay Gatsby's notorious parties, where figures both real and fictional from Fitzgerald's life and work are hidden among the enigmatic guests. Find Daisy Buchanan weeping over a pile of silk shirts, Gatsby gazing towards the green light of his dreams, Ernest Hemingway working at his typewriter, and the all-seeing eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg surveying...

Explores how American Literature has represented the sound and spirit of popular music From the birth of rhythm and blues to the rise of hip-hop, American writers have long grappled with how to capture in words the energy, rebellion, and cultural power of popular music. Popular Music and American Literary Culture traces this complex relationship, offering the most comprehensive exploration...