American Literary Magazines

?The first of a two-part reference guide; a companion volume will profile 20th-century literary magazines. The two volumes are intended to be a compehensive source of information on a relatively neglected aspect of American literary history, the literary magazine. The editor defines as literary' those magazines that included fiction, poetry, and critical, philosophical, or familiar essays. The guide's profiles emphasize the literary features of 18th-and 19th-century periodicals, as well as their social and historical significance. Other less- specifically literary' magazines have been included in the guide for the respective roles they played in literary history. Editorial and publishing histories, circulation figures, and finances are discussed only if they pertain directly to the literary developments of the magazines. ... Each chapter concludes with a bibliography of sources providing useful additional information for the researcher. Recommended for academic and public reference collections.?-Choice