Joan Richardson is Professor of English, Comparative Literature and American Studies at the Graduate Center, City University of New York.

'Joan Richardson's book is nothing less than a revolution in our understanding of pragmatism. Pragmatism has been understood as rooted in a specifically American experience; it has also been understood to change the way we think about language. Richardson has welded these two interpretations of pragmatism into a single stunning insight. Her book will change the way you think about the history and meaning of pragmatism, and it will change the way you think about the history and meaning of American literature, too.' Louis Menand

• 1. Introduction: frontier instances; 2. In Jonathan Edwards's room of the idea; 3. Emerson's moving pictures; 4. William James's feeling of if; 5. Henry James's more than rational distortion; 6. Wallace Stevens's radiant and productive atmosphere; 7. Gertrude Stein, James's Melancthon/a; Bibliography; Index.

Joan Richardson is Professor of English, Comparative Literature and American Studies at the Graduate Center, City University of New York.

'Joan Richardson's book is nothing less than a revolution in our understanding of pragmatism. Pragmatism has been understood as rooted in a specifically American experience; it has also been understood to change the way we think about language. Richardson has welded these two interpretations of pragmatism into a single stunning insight. Her book will change the way you think about the history and meaning of pragmatism, and it will change the way you think about the history and meaning of American literature, too.' Louis Menand

• 1. Introduction: frontier instances; 2. In Jonathan Edwards's room of the idea; 3. Emerson's moving pictures; 4. William James's feeling of if; 5. Henry James's more than rational distortion; 6. Wallace Stevens's radiant and productive atmosphere; 7. Gertrude Stein, James's Melancthon/a; Bibliography; Index.

Joan Richardson is Professor of English, Comparative Literature and American Studies at the Graduate Center, City University of New York.

'Joan Richardson's book is nothing less than a revolution in our understanding of pragmatism. Pragmatism has been understood as rooted in a specifically American experience; it has also been understood to change the way we think about language. Richardson has welded these two interpretations of pragmatism into a single stunning insight. Her book will change the way you think about the history and meaning of pragmatism, and it will change the way you think about the history and meaning of American literature, too.' Louis Menand

• 1. Introduction: frontier instances; 2. In Jonathan Edwards's room of the idea; 3. Emerson's moving pictures; 4. William James's feeling of if; 5. Henry James's more than rational distortion; 6. Wallace Stevens's radiant and productive atmosphere; 7. Gertrude Stein, James's Melancthon/a; Bibliography; Index.