Selected Basic Resources for Students
2
American Studies
Selected Basic Resources for Students
Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 71994.
* Baldick, Chris. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Oxford: OUP, 1990.
* Baym, Nina, ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 5 vols. New York: Norton, 31989.
Bercovitch, Sacvan, ed. The Cambridge History of American Literature. Cambridge: CUP, 1994.
* Berensmeyer, Ingo. Literary Theory: An Introduction to Approaches, Methods and Terms. Stuttgart: Klett, 2009.
Böker, Uwe and Christoph Houswitschka, eds. Einführung in das Studium der Anglistik und Amerikanistik. München: C. H. Beck, 22007.
* Boyer, Paul S. Enduring Vision: A History of the American People. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 42000.
Boyer, Paul S., and Ronald Story. A More Perfect Union: Documents in U.S. History. 2 vols. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008.
Boyer, Paul S., ed. The Oxford Companion to United States History.. New York: Oxford, 2001.
Breidlid, Andreas, ed. American Culture: An Anthology of Civilization Texts. London: Routledge, 1996.
* Campbell, Neil, and Alasdair Kean. American Cultural Studies: An Introduction to American Culture. London: Routledge, 22006.
Crowther, Jonathan, ed. Oxford Guide to British and American Culture. London: OUP, 1999.
Cuddon, J. A. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 31991.
Culler, Jonathan. Literary Theory. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: OUP, 1997.
Cummings, Milton C., and David Wise. Democracy under Pressure. An Introduction to the American Political System. Fort Worth: Harcourt College, 102006.
Cunliffe, Marcus. The Literature of the United States. London: Penguin, 1986.
Dahms, Hellmuth Günther. Grundzüge der Geschichte der Vereinigten Staaten. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1997.
Dippel, Horst. Geschichte der USA. München: C.H. Beck, 31999.
During, Simon, ed. The Cultural Studies Reader. New York: Routledge, 1993.
Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P, 1983.
Elliott, Emory The Columbia Literary History of the United States. New York: Columbia UP, 1988.
Engler, Bernd, and Oliver Scheiding, eds. A Companion to American Cultural History. Trier: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier, 2009.
Engler, Bernd, and Oliver Scheiding, eds. Key Concepts in American Cutural History. Trier: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier, 22007.
Fabian, Bernhard, ed. Ein anglistischer Grundkurs. Berlin: Erich Schmidt, 92004.
* Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. New York: MLA, 72009.
Gray, Martin. A Dictionary of Literary Terms. Harlow: Longman, 21992.
Guerin, Wilfred L., ed. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. New York: Oxford UP, 31992.
Harland, Richard. Literary Theory from Plato to Barthes: An Introductory History. New York: St Martin's Press, 1999.
Hart, James D., ed. The Oxford Companion to American Literature. New York: OUP, 1997.
* Hebel, Udo J. Einführung in die Amerikanistik/American Studies. Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler, 2008.
Heideking, Jürgen. Geschichte der USA. Tübingen: Francke, 21999.
Holman, Clarence. A Handbook to Literature. New York: Odyssey Press, 1960.
Hornung, Alfred. Lexikon Amerikanische Literatur. Mannheim: Meyer, 1992.
Hutner, Gordon, ed. American Literature, American Culture. New York: OUP, 1999.
Hyser, Raymond, and J. Chris Arndt, ed. Voices of the American Past: Documents in U.S. History. 2 vols. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 2007.
Jansohn, Christa, Dieter Mehl, and Hans Bungert. Was sollen Anglisten und Amerikanisten lesen? Berlin: Erich Schmidt, 1995.
Johnson, Thomas H., ed. The Oxford Companion to U.S. History. New York: Oxford, 2001.
Klarer, Mario. An Introduction to Literary Studies. London: Routledge, 22004. (Also available in German: Klarer, Mario. Einführung in die anglistisch-amerikanistische Literaturwissenschaft. Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 62007.)
Lauter, Paul, ed. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997.
Leitch, Vincent B., ed. The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. New York: Norton, 2001.
Lentricchia, Frank, andThomas McLaughlin, eds. Critical Terms for Literary Study. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 21995.
Lodge, David, ed. Modern Criticism and Theory: A Reader. London: Longman, 101995.
Lösche, Peter, and Hans Dietrich von Löffelholz, eds. Länderbericht USA. Bonn: Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung, 2004.
* Mauk, David, and John Oakland. American Civilization: An Introduction. London: Routledge, 52009.
McKay, David. American Politics and Society. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 72009.
* Meyer, Michael. English and American Literatures. Tübingen: A. Francke, 32008.
Norton, Mary Beth, ed. A People and a Nation: A History of the United States. 2 vols. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006.
Nünning, Ansgar, and Vera Nünning. An Introduction to the Study of English and American Literature. Stuttgart: Klett, 2007. (Also available in German: Nünning, Ansgar, and Vera Nünning. Grundkurs anglistisch-amerikanistische Literaturwissenschaft. Stuttgart: Klett, 2007.)
Nünning, Ansgar, ed. Metzler Lexikon Literatur- und Kulturtheorie: Ansätze, Personen, Grundbegriffe. Stuttgart: Metzler, 1998.
Raeithel, Gert. Geschichte der nordamerikanischen Kultur. 3 vols. Frankfurt/Main: Zweitausendeins, 1997.
Renner, Rolf Günter and Engelbert Habekost, eds. Lexikon literaturtheoretischer Werke. Stuttgart: Kröner, 1995.
Ricks, Christopher, and William L. Vance, eds. The Faber Book of America. London: Faber & Faber, 1994.
Rivkin, Julie, and Michael Ryan, eds. Literary Theory: An Anthology. London: Blackwell, 1998.
Rosenbaum, Robert A. The Penguin Encyclopedia of American History. New York: Penguin, 2003.
Ruland, Richard, and Malcolm Bradbury. From Puritanism to Postmodernism. A History of American Literature. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1992.
Sautter, Udo. Lexikon der amerikanischen Geschichte. München: C.H. Beck, 1997.
Schäfer, Peter. Alltag in den Vereinigten Staaten: Von der Kolonialzeit bis zur Gegenwart. Graz: Styria, 1998.
Selden, Raman, and Peter Widdowson. A Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory. New York: Harvester/Wheatsheaf, 31993.
Selden, Raman. Practising Theory and Reading Literature: An Introduction. Lexington: UP of Kentucky, 1989.
Spann, Ekkehard. Landeskunde Great Britain/United States of America. Stuttgart: Klett, 2007.
Temperley, Howard, and Christopher Bigsby. A New Introduction to American Studies. Harlow: Pearson Longman, 2006.
Wersich, Rüdiger B., ed. USA-Lexikon. Grundlagen der Anglistik und Amerikanistik 19. Berlin: Erich Schmidt, 1996.
Wilpert, Gero von. Sachwörterbuch der Literatur. Stuttgart: Kröner, 71989.
* Zapf, Hubert. Amerikanische Literaturgeschichte. Stuttgart: Metzler, 1997.
Zapf, Hubert. Kurze Geschichte der anglo-amerikanischen Literaturtheorie. München: UTB, 21996.
This list is aimed at all students of American Studies, from "absolute beginners," who have just started to study AmSt, to "old hands," who are about to conclude their studies. It is strongly recommended to make use of these books when studying for an exam, working on a presentation or a research paper, or just preparing for a class. Nevertheless, further research for secondary literature on specific topics is absolutely essential as well.
An asterisk* marks the top ten recommendations.
Compiled by Dr. Ina Bergmann and Uwe Hausmann, M.A.
03/2010