The literature of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, includes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Representative authors include
John Barth
John Simmons Barth (; born May 27, 1930) is an American writer who is best known for his postmodern and metafictional fiction. His most highly regarded and influential works were published in the 1960s, and include ''The Sot-Weed Factor'', a ...
,
H. L. Mencken
Henry Louis Mencken (September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956) was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, ...
, and
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...
.
History
A
printing press
A printing press is a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a printing, print medium (such as paper or cloth), thereby transferring the ink. It marked a dramatic improvement on earlier printing methods in wh ...
began operating in
St. Mary's City, Maryland
St. Mary's City (also known as Historic St. Mary's City) is a former colonial town that was Maryland's first European settlement and capital. It is now a large, state-run historic area, which includes a reconstruction of the original colonial set ...
, in 1685.
[ (Fulltext)] Colonial-era writers included
George Alsop (''Character of the Province of Maryland,'' 1666);
Ebenezer Cooke (''Sot-Weed Factor,'' 1708).
Literary figures of the antebellum period included
John Pendleton Kennedy
John Pendleton Kennedy (October 25, 1795 – August 18, 1870) was an American novelist, lawyer and Whig politician who served as United States Secretary of the Navy from July 26, 1852, to March 4, 1853, during the administration of President Mi ...
(''Swallow Barn,'' 1832);
Edward Coote Pinkney
Edward Coote Pinkney (October 1, 1802 – April 11, 1828) was an American poet, lawyer, sailor, professor, and editor. Born in London in 1802 when his William Pinkney, father was serving as ambassador to the Court of St. James, Pinkney return ...
(1802-1828).
And most notably,
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...
of Baltimore, whom John Pendelton Kennedy supported financially for years.
Awards and events
The
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland that convenes within the State House in Annapolis. It is a bicameral body: the upper chamber, the Maryland Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamb ...
created the position of
Poet Laureate of Maryland
This is a list of Poets Laureate of Maryland.
Position and history
The Poet Laureate of Maryland is an honorary State position. The selected poet serves at the discretion of the Governor for up to a four-year term, renewable by the Governo ...
in 1959.
The Baltimore Book Festival began around 1996.
See also
*
:Writers from Maryland
*
List of newspapers in Maryland
This is a list of newspapers in Maryland.
Daily and weekly newspapers (currently published)
Defunct
See also
* List of newspapers in Maryland in the 18th century
* Ethnic press in Baltimore
* Maryland media
** List of radio stations in Mar ...
*
:Maryland in fiction
*
:Libraries in Maryland
*
Southern United States literature
Southern United States literature consists of American literature written about the Southern United States or by writers from the region. Literature written about the American South first began during the colonial era, and developed significant ...
*
American literary regionalism
American literary regionalism or local color is a style or genre of writing in the United States that gained popularity in the mid to late 19th century into the early 20th century. In this style of writing, which includes both poetry and prose, the ...
References
Bibliography
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* (Includes information about Maryland literature)
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External links
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American literature by state
literature
Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...
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