of the American Novel ( New York, 1948), considers Cooper
and his contemporaries in early historical fiction, but passes over
the later writers. Two British compilations, Ernest Baker A
Guide to Historical Fiction ( London and New York, 1914)
and Jonathan Nield A Guide to the Best Historical Novels
and Tales ( London and New York, 1902, 1929), list mostly
ephemeral and juvenile works in the American sections; and
Hannah Logasa outline, Historical Fiction ( Philadelphia,
1941), was designed for use in high schools.

This book has been written for the intelligent lay reader
who is interested in the nation's past and who wants a rather
full account of the materials and methods of American histori-
cal fiction. To serve this double purpose, the novels are ar-
ranged by historical backgrounds. Within each historical pe-
riod the arrangement follows a topical sequence, novels on a
given topic being discussed generally in the order of their ap-
pearance. After a novel has been introduced, it is analyzed
succinctly, evaluated, and related to others in its category. The
term "American" is limited to the United States. Novels by
outsiders or about Canada or Mexico are generally excluded.
"History Vivified" and the Conclusion seek to define and illu-
minate the genre as a whole. An extensive list of additional his-
torical novels, which for one reason or another seemed inferior,
is given in the Appendix. The Index offers opportunity for
cross reference.

The writer is grateful to the Carnegie Foundation and to
the administration of Southern Methodist University for as-
sistance in bringing the labor of many years to a conclusion.

ERNESTE. LEISY

Dallas, November 1, 1949

-viii-