The final decades of the 20th century have seen an explosion of interest in multiculturalism. But multiculturalism is more than an awareness of the different cultures comprising contemporary societies. For centuries, people from around the world have come in contact with cultures other than their own, and their exposure to multiple cultures has fostered their creativity and ability to make lasting contributions to civilization. The effects of multiculturalism are especially apparent in literature, since writers tend to be particularly aware of their environments and record their experiences.

This reference includes alphabetically arranged entries for more than 100 world writers from antiquity to 1945, who were significantly influenced by cultures other than their own. Included are entries for major canonical Ancient and Modern writers of the Western and Eastern worlds. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and includes a brief biography, a discussion of multicultural themes and contexts, a summary of the writer's critical reception, and primary and secondary bibliographies. By illuminating the shaping influence of multiculturalism on these writers, the volume points to the lasting value of multiculturalism in the contemporary world.

Explores the role played by women in ancient societies through the analysis of specific myths from nine different lands.

In Women in Myth, Bettina L. Knapp explores the role played by women in ancient societies through analysis of specific myths from nine different lands. The author probes issues as to how figures such as Isis, Tiamat, Dido, Camilla, Deborah, Iphigenia, Salome, Sita, Amaterasu, Nu-Kwa, and others -- some of whom were goddesses -- fared. She discusses their abilities and their outlooks, whether their views were gender oriented or androgynous, whether they were deprived of the most basic human rights or excluded from the highest functions of religious worship.

Knapp explores whether or not these women had done battle, led armies, founded states, ruled lands, or experienced identity crises. She allows the reader to establish parallels as well as dichotomies between the lives of ancient and contemporary women. The reliving of specific episodes from thousands of years ago as reported in the great myths brings insights into certain relationships and sheds light on events and their ramifications in today's home and workplace.

"The book reflects an encyclopedic knowledge of world mythology and a richly intuitive grasp of its significance and of the hidden messages it contains. It then takes all this ancient material and uses it to shed light on a contemporary issue of the utmost interest and relevance, namely the status of women in our society, and in preceding societies as reflected in myth". -- Patrick Brady, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

"Altogether, the work is a delight, offering an unusual, provocativeview on the disparate texts, with the added pleasure of lucid graceful prose."-- Journal of Modern Literature

Bettina Knapp probes the nature, meaning, and use of the architectural metaphors and archetypes that pervade allliterature.

The end of World War II led to increased interest in multicultural concerns and a flourishing of literary and artistic endeavors. It was also a time of decolonization and the emergence of new nations and cultures clamoring for recognition and respect. The political circumstances following World War II exposed many people to other cultures. This reference discusses the experiences of writers active since 1945 who were shaped by cultures other than their own. Included are alphabetically arranged entries for more than 100 writers, including Chinua Achebe, W.H. Auden, Mircea Eliade, Jamaica Kincaid, Salman Rushdie, and Elie Wiesel. The profiled authors either lived in another culture voluntarily or were wrenched from one culture into another. Each entry includes a brief biography, a discussion of multicultural themes in the writer's works, a review of criticism, and primary and secondary bibliographies. The volume closes with a selected, general bibliography. The reference demonstrates the value of multicultural experiences in the lives of writers around the world and fosters a greater appreciation of cultural diversity.

This literary biography details the life of Judith Gautier (1845-1917). Gautier, daughter of celebrated author Th-ophile Gautier and opera star Ernesta Grisi, carved a special niche in the literary world. Gautier was not only the first woman elected to the prestigious Goncourt Academy, but she was also nominated as Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.

Knapp (comparative literature, women's studies, City University of New York) takes a Jungian approach to the mysteries that lady luck offers to humanity's quest to defy destiny. She explores the psyches and cultures of players of games of chance and skill, examining nine different types of gambling as evidenced in Western and Eastern tradition through the literary works of authors including Balzac, Hesse, Kawabata, and Zhang. Through an examination of seven different cultures she shows the effects of gambling on individuals and society.