Modernism and the Practice of Proletarian Literature

Exploring the intersection of US radical writing from the 1930s with modernist and avant-garde theories, this book takes a multidisciplinary approach, examining poetry, fiction, music, and commercial art. It offers close readings linked to social and economic contexts from 1856 to 1952, highlighting a key author or text in each chapter. The first part delves into the roots of the proletarian movement, while the second part contrasts the works of proletarian novelists with those of established modernists and mainstream authors, providing a rich, chronological narrative.