Today's Writers and Their Works

Sandra Cisneros is a Mexican-American novelist and poet whose works appeal to a broad spectrum of American readers. When her first book was published in 1984, she broke new ground; today, Cisneros is a popular and admired writer around the world. She is also a dedicated activist who works tirelessly for Mexican-American causes. Readers of Sandra Cisneros will learn how Cisneros went from being a poor, underprivileged kid in the barrio to the internationally renowned writer she is today, as well as get an in-depth look at some of her most well-known works.

A biography of writer Bill Bryson that describes his era, major works, and life.

A biography of writer Amy Tan that describes her era, major works, and life.

A biography of writer Isabel Allende that describes her era, major works, and life.

Learn the story behind Haruki Murakami and examine in depth his most widely read works.

A biography of writer Stephen King that describes his era, major works, and life.

Zadie Smith made a huge splash in 1997 when, as a college student, she received one of the largest advances in British history for her novel White Teeth. Since then, Smith has published four major novels, a volume of essays, and many short stories. She has become a college professor, an award-winner, and an influential critic of both literature and the current political scene. Readers of Zadie Smith will learn about how insecure and outside of society she felt as a child and young woman, and how that very sense of being an outsider transformed her into the writer of clarity she is today.

Ha Jin is a contemporary Chinese American poet and novelist who is most commonly associated with the Misty Poetry movement. His contributions to the world of fiction have been awarded with such honors as the National Book Award and the Townsend Prize for Fiction. This Guggenheim Fellow was a young child in China under communist rule and was only 14 years old when he became a member of the People's Liberation Army. In this riveting book about this celebrated author, critical analysis of his works are presented. Your readers will engage deeply with this volume by learning how to identify themes, analyze how elements in the text interact, and how to identify the informational context behind the fictional treatment Jin uses with his chosen words.

Kurt Vonnegut was an American novelist, short story writer, playwright and also published five works of non-fiction. His careers spans 50 years. This book features an in-depth look the life of the author as well as a close examination of the most widely-read of his works. Plot summary, excerpts, character analysis, and themes for each work covered are revealed. Critical analysis from differing points of view of the work is also presented. With this informational book, students learn how to identify themes, analyze how elements in the text interact and how to identify the informational context behind fictional treatment of words.

Abraham Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican novelist, short story author, and musician who spends much of his time in Germany. This timely book features an in-depth look at the life of the author as well as a close examination of his most widely read works. Each work covered reveals plot summary, excerpts, character analysis, and literary themes. Critical analysis within each of Rodriguez's work is presented while students learn how to identify themes, analyze how elements in the text interact, and how to identify the informational context behind fictional treatment of words.