Classic Authors
Erica Davis
Articles
Pulitzer Prize winning author of "Lonesome Dove," Larry McMurtry wrote about an incredible love triangle in his second book, "Leaving Cheyenne." I examine the most important character in the book, the woman that McMurtry places between the two men in this story.
A look at one of O Henry's short stories, "The Last Leaf," and examination of his lack of depth in his characters.
The Pulitzer -v- Nobel Scorecard
Not all of our favorite classics have won even one of these awards and yet we love them just as much. Check the scorecard to see if your favorite is among the winners!
Bring K-L-E-E-N-E-X to Class Tomorrow!
The impact a sad children's story can have on a young mind, and the lessons in can teach.
Flannery O'Connor's short stories were inspired by her deep religious beliefs and Southern background. Learn more about the writer and her works.
Classics aren't just worth reading, they're worth putting in a safe spot because they're value only goes up! See what kind of money Harper Lee's first edition is bringing in. It might make you take a second look at your bookshelves.
"A Rose for Emily," is one of William Faulkner's great short stories. Take a look at some of the hidden meanings, even the author said didn't exist.
An essay examining the writing styles utilized in Margaret Atwood's short story, "Happy Endings." What familiar plots and settings are used? How does our perspective change as readers the older we get?
Boring Reading or Missing the Point?
Many classics have subtle hidden meanings that some readers miss the first time around. If you think you've just read a really boring book, look again, you might have missed the entire point.
Making the Best Out of the Worst Classic Movies
There are numerous bad movies, past and present, that have become classics. Why? What is so great about something so awful? Plenty!!
Hemingway: Short and Not So Sweet
Ernest Hemingway was poet as well as a novelist. One book, 88 Poems edited by Nicholas Gerogiannis, takes us through each one. What can we learn from Hemingway's poems?
Very few classic authors wrote sequels to their work, while many recent authors have written a Part II for the books we grew up with. What makes a sequel a success -vs- a flop?
Dorothy Parker was one of literature's most outspoken personalities. Learn more about the woman who was never afraid to speak her mind!
Raymond Carver, infamous short story writer, and unknown to many. Read about the author that overcame alcholism and became a success.
It's hard trying to find the time to read a book and learn the classics. Become a well read literary brainiac with these tips and yes, cheats!
The Greek Tragedies not only helped form theatre as we know it today, they created it! Find out who was instrumental and why.
"Our Town," was one of Thornton Wilder's biggest plays, although the story itself is stunningly simple. It is more than just a story about smalltown life, but a story about LIFE itself.
"The Wizard of Oz," is a century old story that children and adults still connect with today. It's lessons and powerful messages are still relevant, and it remains a favorite after all of these years. It is easy to see why...
"The Velveteen Rabbit," is a children's book full of lessons, morals, and love. Find out why this classic is still going strong, 90 years after its debut!
The Price They Paid: The Poisonwood Bible
"The Poisonwood Bible," is an up and coming classic whose African story of Baptism, politics and family in the Congo is expertly wound around the human experience.
The Creator: Not Another Frankenstein
In 1985 a little known movie called "The Creator," with shallow similarities to "Frankenstein" was released. Read about the movie, and see why it has so much more going for it than the Mary Shelly references.
Langston Hughes is recongized as one of America's most famous Black writers. Find out where he came from, and why he had an impact.
The Many Talents of Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein was much more than a children's author, although that is what we all remember him for. Read about some of his other accomplishments!
Why does a book get banned? How long has this been going on? Take a look at some of your greatest classics that were once prohibited!
Sex, Crime, and Cops as told by James Ellroy
James Ellroy is one of America's most successful crime novelists today, with best sellers like "L.A. Confidential," and more. Look at his influences, attitudes and works.
"Walden," by Henry David Thoreau was written in 1854, and was heavily influenced by his personal choices, and lifestyle. Many of his deeprooted beliefs sprung from Transcendentalism, which was an important literary period in America
"The Godfather" has changed American literature, and film making. What makes this type of genre so popular and dare I say addictive?
The Dime Novel was a major movement in American literature that lasted for over 50 years. Why was it so popular and what ever happened to it?
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How "Little Women," influenced women readers of the time, and this autobiography of Louisa May Alcott became one of America's most popular classics.
"Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd..."
The musical that was based on a real person. Why do we add things to a true story? How does this improve the original story?
How Elizabeth Barrett Browning's most well known work came about, and why it can inspire us all.,How Elizabeth Barrett Browning's most well known work came about, and why it can inspire us all.
What is Haiku, and how on Earth do you write a good one?
A look at "Lolita," the taboo novel written by Nabokov in the 50's that became a classic.
A different kind of classic, this one refers to HOW we can sell our writing, once we have written it!
"O Brother Where Art Thou," is a witty and refreshing take on Homer's Greek Epic.
A look at "Cannery Row," through the eyes of John Steinbeck.
What we are learning from the "new" classic, Harry Potter!
As we return to our "normal" lives...I wonder what that means anymore?
Personal experience from Tuesday's tragedy, as well as a copy of "The Star Spangled Banner."
The symbolism of To Kill A Mockingbird, and its historical significance.
The Lost Generation Poster Boy
"The Sun Also Rises," was pegged as the voice of "The Lost Generation," something Hemingway never intended when he wrote this story based on some of his own romantic mishaps.
"Alice's Adventures In Wonderland," was Lewis Carroll's first children's book, and went on to become a classic. I look at how it added to children's literature today.
"In Cold Blood," Capote's New Non-Fiction "Novel."
Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" was the first book of it's kind to be written as a dramatic novel, when the subject was entirely non-fiction. This changed how "non-fiction novels" were written from then on.
A look at why writers enter competitions.