Vivid characters and first-rate storytelling are the hallmarks of good popular fiction. "Encyclopedia of American Popular Fiction" is a new A-to-Z resource that covers those contemporary authors and works that have enjoyed commercial success in the United States but are typically neglected by more 'literary' guides. Written by literary scholars, this invaluable resource provides high school and college students with everything they need to know to understand the authors and works of American popular fiction. The coverage includes: Tom Clancy, "The Da Vinci Code", John Grisham, "The 'Left Behind' books", Elmore Leonard, James Patterson, "The Silence of the Lambs", Nicholas Sparks, and more.