First published in 1961, this book has survived radical changes in the study of literature. Combining the disciplines of folklore and literary criticism in his readings of works by Irving, Hawthorne, Melville and Mark Twain, Daniel Hoffman demonstrates how these authors transformed materials from both high and popular culture, from their European past and their American present, in works that helped to form American national consciousness. In a new preface, Hoffman describes the evolution of his critical method and suggests the book's value for contemporary readers.