Outstanding, in-depth scholarship by renowned literary critics; great starting point for students seeking an introduction to the theme and the critical discussions surrounding it.

Novels of the American Southwest most often deal with battles between man and the desert landscape, quests of Manifest Destiny, tales of the Old West, and cross-cultural conflicts between white American settlers and Native American tribes, including the Navajo and Apache. This volume explores these and many other themes, found in the works of such authors as Willa Cather, Cormac McCarthy, Larry McMurtry, and more.

Each essay is 2,500 to 5,000 words in length, and all essays conclude with a list of ""Works Cited,"" along with endnotes. Finally, the volume's appendixes offer a section of useful reference resources: About This Volume; Critical Context: Original Introductory Essays; Critical Readings: Original In-Depth Essays; Further Readings; Detailed Bibliography; Detailed Bio of the Editor; General Subject Index.