Words of Ages: Witnessing U.S. History Through Literature

Words of Ages: Witnessing U.S. History Through Literature brings together enduring American works - novels, short stories, poems, speeches, letters, biographies, plays, and journalistic reports - to illuminate events and trends of the past. Featuring immediacy of great storytelling, Words of Ages allows readers to "witness" events - from the European exploration of Virginia to the Vietnam War. Excerpts were chosen for their historical connections, literary merit, and the varied views they represent. Diverse voices - such as those belonging to immigrants, minorities, and women - reveal the richness and complexity of U.S. history. Much to the editor's vexation, however, any anthology is necessarily limited. The hope is that the Words of Ages will encourage its readers to explore the works that breadth and page-limit excluded. In addition to great literature, Words of Ages culls history from visual art, architecture, and music. These elements illustrate the important role of the arts and remind readers that all of these disciplines are tightly intertwined in the complex and fascinating story that is America's past. Tiffany Farrell Larbalestier