For years editors of standard American literature anthologies have presented undergraduates with a narrow view of the American literary experience. Their anthologies have reflected the predominant view of the academy, which has maintained a traditional literary canon denying the importance of works by women and ethnic authors. This denial has sparked controversy and gained national media attention, resulting in gradual changes in curricula at many universities, including Stanford. As the climate of the undergraduate classroom changes and reflects a wider vision, so must the anthologies used in the classroom. The recently published Heath Anthology of American Literature is just such a work. It challenges convention and invites reevaluation of the standard American literary canon
