Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/American Writers

American Writers

This is the archived discussion of the TFAR nomination for the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page.

The result was: scheduled for Wikipedia:Today's featured article/December 18, 2024 by Wehwalt (talk) 14:06, 4 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Author John Neal

American Writers is an 1824–25 work of literary criticism by American writer and critic John Neal. Published by Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, it is the first history of American literature and the first substantial work of criticism concerning US authors. Using no reference materials, Neal made multiple factually inaccurate claims about many of the 120+ authors covered. Scholars nevertheless praise the staying power of Neal's opinions, many of which are reflected by other critics decades later. Neal also argued American literature relied too much on British precedent and had failed to develop its own voice. Neal wrote the series in London under an English pseudonym, which convinced few readers. American Writers was well received in the UK but drew considerable ire in the US, particularly from William Lloyd Garrison. Neal was met with hostility and a fistfight on an 1827 visit to his hometown of Portland, Maine; he moved back and lived there until his death forty-nine years later. (Full article...)

Most recent similar article(s): The most recent article on a literary topic was October 31 ("The Raven"); prior to that was Tomorrow Speculative Fiction and To Kill a Mockingbird on October 11 and 10, respectively. Prior to that was Battle Birds on September 4, Ernest Hemingway on July 21, The Spider (magazine) on June 14, Munsey's Magazine on June 7, and The Day Before the Revolution on May 26. Going back to May 1, the only TFA I can find on a literary criticism topic is The Structure of Literature on May 7.
Main editors: Dugan Murphy
Promoted: November 3, 2024
Reasons for nomination: As demonstrated above, literary criticism doesn't get much coverage at TFA. This article just passed FAC.
Support as nominator. Dugan Murphy (talk) 23:54, 3 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]