Kaleidoscope: Stories Of The American Experience

Kaleidoscope: Stories of the American Experience

This innovative multicultural reader gathers together diaries, histories, autobiographies, short stories, and excerpts from novels to bring the many facets of the American experience to life, from sixteenth-century explorations to this century's ongoing saga of immigration and acculturation. Extending the traditional boundaries of the American literary canon, the editors first offer a comprehensive overview of the history of multicultural social and literary patterns in the United States, and then present a wealth of richly diverse stories--construing that term in the broadest possible sense--from both celebrated and lesser-known authors emphasizing pluralistic experience. Whenever possible, they present narratives of cross-cultural contact and exchange, rather than reports of cultures observed in isolation. Offering a uniquely broad range of readings within a strong thematic structure, Kaleidoscope is an enjoyable and enlightening reader for anyone interested in Americanliterature and history, or the new emphasis on multiculturalism.Review"The section covering post-World War II America is particularly useful to instructors of Western American literature....[T]he anthology's strength is in its diversity, a geographical and cultural zigzag....For Barbara and George Perkins, the magical transformation into "American" exists, though not at the expense of cultural expression. Their anthology is one such colorful expression."-Western American Literature"After looking for an anthology for a first-time offered Multicultural American Literature class, I found Kaleidoscope to be the perfect solution...the selection is excellent."-Ted Pelton, Lakeland College"Good variety, well presented, interesting arrangement."-Eileen Oliver, Washington State University"I like the comprehensiveness of the offerings-16th century to the present."-Catharine Seigel, Rhode Island School of Design"The primary virtue of this anthology is that it brings together a wide range of provocative pieces not usually found in anthologies."-Allen E. Hibbard, Damascus University"Brilliant idea-could be used as additional reading for any survey course in American literature. The selections are fascinating, student-friendly, and relevant. Bravo!"-Alex Vardamis, University of Vermont"An extremely valuable anthology of the multicultural range of American lives. The best work of its kind to date."-Ashton Nichols, Dickinson College"How refreshing to find a multicultural reader with quality selections."-George Klawitter, Viterbo College"There is a lot of good material intelligently and coherently organized in this anthology; indeed it's a very attractive production altogether."-E.N. Feltskog, University of Wisconsin, Madison"Admirably wide-ranging."-Juan Leon, University of Michigan"I like the comprehensiveness of the offerings."-Catharine Seigel, Rhode Island School of Design"Interesting span of texts on the American experience-good specimens of primary texts."-Brenda W. Thomas, LaGrange CollegeAbout the AuthorGeorge Perkins is editor of The American Tradition in Literature (Seventh Edition, 1990), the leading American literature survey text. George and Barbara Perkins are co-authors or co-editors of Contemporary American Literature (1988), The Reader's Encyclopedia of American literature (1991), and Women's Work: American Literature by Women (1994), and founders and editors of The Journal of Narrative Technique.