American novelist E.L. Doctorow once observed that literature endows places with meaning. Yet, as this wide-ranging new book vividly illustrates, understanding the places that shaped American writers lives and their art can provide deep insight into what makes their literature truly meaningful.

Published on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Historic Preservation Act, Writing America: Literary Landmarks from Walden Pond to Wounded Knee is a unique, passionate, and eclectic series of meditations on literature and history, covering over 150 important National Register historic sites, all pivotal to the stories that make up America, from chapels to battlefields; from plantations to immigration stations; and from theaters to internment camps.

Shelley Fisher Fishkin is a professor of English and the director of American studies at Stanford University. An award-winning author, she is past president of the American Studies Association.