About American Literature

Since November 1997, AmericanLiterature.com has been dedicated to bringing the finest works of American literature to readers, students, and educators around the world—completely free of charge. While we started with a focus on American Literature and American authors, we've expanded to include great authors from around the world in response to user requests and interests. Our mission is to connect teachers, students, children, readers, and writers with great literature and to inspire a love of reading and increase in literacy throughout the world.

Our extensive collection features timeless short stories from masters like O. Henry, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Kate Chopin, Mark Twain, and Ernest Hemingway, as well as beloved international authors including Anton Chekhov, Guy de Maupassant, and H.H. Munro (Saki). We offer classic American poems by Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou. Our curated collections include the 100 Great Short Short Stories, Poetry for Students, and beloved children's stories featuring Aesop's Fables, Mother Goose, and classic Fairy Tales that have delighted young readers for generations.

For educators, we provide comprehensive teaching guides, lesson packs, and study guides designed to bring literature to life in the classroom. Our Short Story of the Day delivers a carefully selected work of fiction to your inbox, making it easy to discover new favorites and revisit classic tales. We also maintain an extensive author database with biographies, complete works, and historical context.

Whether you're a student seeking analysis and context, a teacher planning engaging lessons, or simply a lover of great literature, AmericanLiterature.com offers free access to the stories, poems, and essays that define the American literary tradition. From Gothic tales and transcendentalist essays to Harlem Renaissance poetry and contemporary short fiction, our collection spans centuries of American storytelling.

It's been a pleasure to serve you.

-- Ernest Ezis & Jamison Hill