This new wing of the < I>Scribner Writers Series< /I> takes that series' enduringly popular format -- the 20 page essay accessible to the general reader or student -- and applies it to the most-studied literary masterpieces. Each of the 20-25 essays in this volume focuses on a single work of American Literature. Written in clear, jargon-free style by college and university professors, each essay explores the nuances of a particular work -- themes, characterization, use of language -- enabling the student to comprehend, interpret and write about the classics. < p>Volume 1 includes essays on Toni Morrison's "Beloved," J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye," Willa Cather's "My Antonia," Jack Kerouac's "On the Road," Stephen Crane's "The Red Badge of Courage," Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" and others.