A History of American Poetry by Richard Gray offers a comprehensive exploration of the development of American poetic traditions from their pre-Columbian origins to the present day. This detailed and accessible account covers the entire range of American poetry, situating its story within crucial social and historical contexts. Individual poets and poems are placed in relevant intertextual contexts, while the book also explores and interprets American poetry in terms of the international positioning and multicultural character of the United States. Readers will gain insight into the individual works and personalities that helped to shape one of the most significant bodies of literature of the past few centuries.