By the author of the award-winning ""The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story"", this encyclopedic resource examines the great American novel in all of its diversity. Spanning the earliest novels that imitated the literary fashions of England to the 21st-century prize-winners, from literary classics to contemporary popular favorites, this reference traces the history of the novel in the United States. With more than 1,200 A-to-Z entries, this book helps readers deepen their understanding of the American novel and its place in literary history. Written in a clear, engaging style with contributions from literary scholars, this is the only reference work of its kind to analyze the American novel as a whole. A detailed introduction surveys the history of the American novel and discusses emerging trends. Many entries include bibliographies to guide further research. It includes: author biographies and bibliographies; synopses and analyses of major novels; and extended essays on major subjects, such as the African-American novel and mystery and detective novels.