"[Corse] offers an astute, Bourdieu-esque analysis of the markets for literary and popular books and the different mechanisms through which they acquire value." Erin A. Smith, American Literature

• 1. Introduction: cultural fields and literary use; 2. Nation-building and the historical timing of a national literature in the United States; 3. Nation-building and the historical timing of a national literature in Canada; 4. The canonical novels: the politics of cultural nationalism; 5. The literary prize-winners: revision and renewal; 6. The bestsellers: the economics of publishing and the convergence of popular taste; 7. Literary meaning and cultural use; Appendices.