Sensational Designs The Cultural Work of American Fiction, 1790-1860

In this provocative book, Jane Tompkins seeks to move the study of literature away from the small group of critically approved texts that have dominated literary discussion over the decades, to allow inclusion of texts ignored or denigrated by the literary academy. Sensational Designschallenges comfortable assumptions about what makes a literary work a "classic."Tompkins, Jane P. is the author of 'Sensational Designs The Cultural Work of American Fiction, 1790-1860', published 1986 under ISBN 9780195041194 and ISBN 0195041194.