Intended for students of fiction, poetry, drama, nonfiction and song lyrics in grade level 6 through high school, this 13-volume reference presents information about the most influential and significant 20th century writers of Canada and the U.S. Contributions by members of the literature faculty of various universities are arranged alphabetically and range from four to about 30 pages in length. Each begins with a summary of important facts about the author, followed by a brief statement of his or her place and significance in American literature, an extended discussion of relevant and/or outstanding life events, and a time-line. The next section focuses on what issues the particular author raised, recurrent themes, character development and other particulars. It also includes a bibliography, a sidebar highlighting important inspirations in the writer's life, and lists of major publications. Finally, the articles deal at length with the author's notable and representative published works, followed by a brief summary of other writings and a list of resources. Color and b&w photographs and reproductions of art works and book covers support the text. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)