These are just three of the many titles in Salem's new "Critical Insights" series, which provides brief treatments of famous works and, in the present case, famous writers. The series is intended for those new to gathering information about literary texts and writers. The authors treated number 17 (at this writing), including the subjects of the books cited here. These are not critical interpretations, though all the editors are scholars (Bouson, professor of English, Loyola Univ., Chicago; Noble, professor emer., English, Univ. of Alabama; Hoppenstand, professor of American culture, Michigan State Univ.). Each title concentrates on the author and authorial influence, offering a brief history of the writer and his or her work, followed by biographical information, critical contexts, critical readings, and other available resources. The critical reading section is the longest in each book, and it includes some excellent selections, given the nature of the series; unfortunately, the editors offer no commentary about the readings or their particular value. Although the titles offer a good overview of writers and their work, coverage is far from expansive; accordingly, these titles should always be used in tandem with other resources. The "Critical Insights" titles on individual writers are appropriate only for inexperienced readers and should be used with guidance from faculty. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates; general readers. C. R. Bloss Auburn University