This History explores the development of literary culture in Virginia from the founding of Jamestown to the twenty-first century.

1. The literary culture of Jamestown Karen Schramm; 2. Colonial historians Jon Kukla; 3. William Byrd of Westover Stephen C. Ausband; 4. Colonial Virginian verse Nanette C. Tamer; 5. The establishment of the printing press A. Franklin Parks; 6. The literature of the revolution Brian Steele; 7. Letter writing in eighteenth-century Virginia Elizabeth Hewitt; 8. Thomas Jefferson Jason Robles; 9. Notes on the State of Virginia Kevin J. Hayes; 10. John Page and his circle Kevin J. Hayes; 11. Travels, history, and biography Kevin J. Hayes; 12. Romantic verse Russell Brickery; 13. Edgar Allan Poe and the art of fiction Paul Christian Jones; 14. Virginia novel John L. Hare; 15. The Southern Literary Messenger Christine Modey; 16. The literature of slavery Robyn McGee; 17. Civil war diaries and reminiscences David Anderson; 18. Post-romantic poetry Lauren Rule Maxwell; 19. Virginia folklore Ted Olson; 20. The Virginia novel II Gwendolyn Jones Harold; 21. Ellen Glasgow Susan Goodman; 22. Virginia writers project Tom Barden; 23. Science fiction and fantasy John D. Miles; 24. William Styron James L. W. West, III; 25. Virginians at a distance: Willa Cather and Tom Wolfe Adam N. Jabbur; 26. Modern poetry Chris Beyers.