The American Collection

The colonisation of America primarily by the British naturally meant the literature of this country had its roots in the English language. It was, of course, later to develop its own style and heritage.

By the mid 19th Century Melville and Hawthorne had fully established themselves and it was not long before Twain, James and the like were in the vanguard with their own purpose and character. Writers like O’Henry, the greatest short story writer of his day, and Charles Russell firmly stamped their individuality on their tales and showed the world the diverse cultures that made up the United States.

	Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling	from £14.99
	Harvey Cheyne, pampered son of an American millionaire is swept overboard from the deck of a liner and picked up by a small fishing boat, one of several trawling the Grand Banks. He is rapidly confronted by the harsh realities of life and comes to terms with himself amid the hard labour and morality of the redoubtable New E ... more on this title.
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	Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain	from £14.99
	Puddn’head Wilson is Mark Twain’s novel of satirical wit aimed at the injustices in the southern states of America in the mid 19th century. It tells the story of two children, one born free, the other a slave. When the slaves mother, Roxana, switches the infants in their cradles she is not the only one who lives to regret t ... more on this title.
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	A Cool Million by Nathanael West	from £11.99
	Written in the style of humorous fantasy 'A Cool Million' is an acerbic destruction of the American Dream. The story takes place in the Thirties, during the depression, but like all good literature it has an impact and perception which transcend period. West wrote this tale, subtitled 'The Dismantling of Lemuel Pitkin', sho ... more on this title.
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	Two Years Before The Mast by Richard Henry Dana	from £14.99
	In 1834 Richard Henry Dana, aged nineteen, broke off his studies at Harvard and enlisted as a Jack-tar on the brig Pilgrim. This is a faithful account of his voyage and experiences including storms round Cape Horn, pursuit by pirates and meeting many strange characters from foreign lands. It details the excruciating day to ... more on this title.
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	Trails Plowed Under by Charles M. Russell	from £11.99
	Cowpunchers, Indians and horses are the heroes and villains of these tales from the early days of Montana and Wyoming with bear and buffalo also making an appearance. The author’s philosophy on such varying topics as marriage, whisky and just staying alive will be of interest to all, cowboy fan or not. Charles M Russell mov ... more on this title.
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	Billy Budd, Sailor by Herman Melville	from £11.99
	On one level Melville’s tale is an historical adventure story telling of life aboard ship shortly after the mutiny at Spithead in 1797. Billy is taken from a homeward bound merchantman to serve on the ‘Seventy Four’ HMS Indomitable. He falls foul of Claggart, the ‘Master at Arms’, and the final confrontation results in deat ... more on this title.
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	Between Rounds by O. Henry	from £14.99
	O.Henry was the greatest short story writer of his day. His characters may be from America at the turn of the century but their foibles and eccentricities are known to us all, irrespective of culture or time. This selection includes such classics as: A Service of Love, Makes The Whole World Kin, Let Me ... more on this title.
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	Washington Square by Henry James	from £17.99
	In 'Washington Square' James treats on a subject about which he was passionate - the relationship between parents and their children. Dr Sloper, a wealthy man, is in a difficult position. His son has died aged three years old. His wife also dies within two weeks of giving birth to their surviving daughter Catherine. She is ... more on this title.
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	American Notes by Charles Dickens	from £22.99
	In 1842, Charles Dickens visited America. His reception was somewhat colder than that which usually greeted him – already a successful author in both Britain and the U.S. This lack of enthusiasm from the Americans was partly due to his criticism of the pirating of English books in that country and partly due to his outspoke ... more on this title.
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	Stories From The States by Various Authors	from £14.99
	American history overflows with good yarns. The many cultures which emigrated to the USA in the 19th Century provided a broad fertile experience on which the short story writer could draw. The authors contained in this collection were masters of the craft. The stories in the order they appear are: 'Ti ... more on this title.
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	Miss Lonelyhearts by Nathanael West	from £8.99
	The columnist of the New York Post-Dispatch, Miss Lonelyhearts, is initially cynical about the letters he receives for help. They are a joke. Gradually however, the letters start to move him but he is powerless to do anything. Retreating from the pain into a fantasy world he starts to believe that he is a Christ figure, a u ... more on this title.
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	The Europeans by Henry James	from £21.49
	One of Henry James’ main themes was the interaction between the Old World and the New. Restless Baroness Eugenia Munster and her charming bohemian brother Felix are visiting their American cousins in Boston, New England. The effect these two extravagant characters have on their austere Puritan relations forms ... more on this title.
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