For over twenty-five years, this three-genre anthology has been a leading title for introductory literature courses. It provides a comprehensive introduction to the principal forms of fiction, poetry, and drama. Each section includes a simple discussion of the elements of the form and carefully selected stories, poems, or plays for illustration. Each section also includes an anthology of additional selections for further reading. In the Seventh Edition, the tradition of clear, precise writing and practical organization initiated by Laurence Perrine years ago is continued by Thomas R. Arp, Professor Perrine's colleague at Southern Methodist University and co-author of the Perrine trilogy for many years. He has used the same criteria of literary excellence and teaching usefulness that he and Professor Perrine utilized during the years of their collaboration to select new stories, poems, and plays for the anthology and has updated certain sections to reflect reader preferences and recent literary interests. Features: * Continues to present the best of classic literature, along with new contemporary writers. * Organized around the elements of literature within each genre, the section s