Brian Attebery considers eccentricities and history in the writings of, Baum, Ruskin, MacDonald, Morris, Lewis and Tolkien in a concise survey of the different definitions and characteristics of the genre of fantasy, first exploring it as a whole, then defining its influence on American folklore.
"This useful study, the first to so thoroughly treat the genesis and evolution of the fantasy tradition in American literature, is well organized, substantive, and smoothly written. After sharing his definition of fantasy, Attebery traces the genre's development in American literature from the anonymous ballads, tall tales, and legends of the 18th and early 19th centuries to the sophisticated fantasy novels of the Tolkien erathis book, complete with index and extensive bibliography, is highly recommended for undergraduate, graduate, and public libraries."
