About this book
Definitions: Essays in Contemporary Criticism by Henry Seidel Canby invites listeners into a lively, probing exploration of literature and taste by one of early twentieth-century America’s most influential critics.
Canby’s collection of essays—rooted in the post–World War I moment when literature was negotiating democracy, mass culture, and modern sensibilities—ranges from sharp readings of popular fiction and sentimental tendencies to broader meditations on the American literary tradition. With an engaging, conversational style he defines key terms, opens interpretive “doors,” and traces how novelists, poets, and critics respond to social change, the rise of magazines, and shifting public appetites. Rather than offering doctrinaire conclusions, Canby models thoughtful, accessible literary criticism: close readings, cultural context, and a sympathy for both art and readers.
A compelling blend of cultural history and aesthetic argument, these essays will appeal to students of literary criticism, historians of American letters, and general readers who enjoy intelligent commentary on fiction, popularity, and taste. Listen to deepen your understanding of how early modern American literature was read, argued about, and made into a national conversation.
