Flexible and innovative, ALR 2E is a unique American literature anthology for 11th graders that connects the issues of the past to the present. With this new edition, it’s easier than ever to teach 11th-grade American literature chronologically, thematically, or by genre. Chapters 1-4 build essential reading and annotation skills for the American literature course. Chapters 5-10 begin with writing workshops before moving into an engaging anthology of the best American nonfiction and literature. While all readings in the book connect to one of eight fundamental themes in American literature, the chapters are organized chronologically, with a twist: Chapter 5 covers the twenty-first century. Beginning with contemporary texts immediately engages students with timeless themes and enduring issues — and also helps teachers solve the age-old problem of how to stop American literature from being stuck in the past.