Thi textbook has been a leader in its discipline for so long due to the authors\u00b4 five original principles - choose selections primarily for their literary value, include as many complete works as possible, provide the very best available scholarly texts and annotate them fully, keep headnotes and period instuctions informative but short, and avoid literary fads. For nearly three decades, students and instructors have complemented their introductory American Literature studies with Anthology of American Literature, in both its two-volume and concise editions. This tried and true textbook has been a leader in its discipline for so long due to the authors\u00b4 five original principles - choose selections primarily for their literary value, include as many complete works as possible, provide the very best available scholarly texts and annotate them fully, keep headnotes and period instructions informative but short, and avoid literary fads.