2000 high school American Literature textbook ratings

Texas has approved four grades 9-12 Literature series for 2000 local adoption. Publishers market texts by their teach­ing aids. We judge books by their subject-matter content. Based on our reviews of the story content of the literary selec­tions in their 11th grade American Literature programs, the four high school Literature series sub­mit­ted for 2000 local Texas adoption rank thus:

Better LITERATURE:  The Reader's Choice
Glencoe ©2000
Fair LITERATURE:  Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes
Prentice Hall ©2000
Fair ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE
Holt Rinehart Winston ©2000
Poor LANGUAGE OF LITERATURE
McDougal Littell ©2000
Unique among these series in the degree of its fixation on death and dying, in the extent of its emphasis on life's hopelessness, and in the intensity of its theme of loneliness; more often presents whites as enemies and nonwhites as victims; most frequently contrasts the meanness of Christians with the peace existing among pagans.

No publisher funded our reviews in any way. We have no financial stake in any textbook company. Unlike pub­li­shers' sales reps, we have no monetary interest in any textbook adoption outcome. Our support comes from con­cern­ed individuals and a few small foundations, none of whom to our knowledge have any connection with the public school textbook industry.

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