American Literature

While reading the assigned introduction, I realized I have never actually studied the history of American literature.  Yes, I have studied history and literature, but never have I studied how American Literature has transcended throughout its history.  It will be fascinating to discover what was the top genre of book or what was considered the ‘bestseller’ of the time.  The printing press was invented in the 1400’s which finally made text more readily available.  Books were handwritten and only intended for the upper class and noblemen to read.  It is difficult to grasp the concept of not being able to afford a printed book; most are under 20 dollars at any store.   Today, society does not take advantage of all of the literary resources that are in grasp.  There are infinite amounts of magazines, textbooks, novels, and newspapers, in this world today I am challenging myself immerse myself and learn more about American literature.  I am fascinated with how it has evolved throughout history.  Christopher Columbus’s letters written about his findings in America, captivity narratives, and primers were all bestsellers before the Revolution.  Now Harry Potter, Twilight, and many other fantasy novels are bestsellers, taking over popular media as well.