This anthology presents poetry, prose, and drama by thirty six writers who, often early in their careers, received fellowships from the Literature Program of the National Endowment for the Arts. The writers included represent each year that grants were awarded, and their work demonstrates the tremendous range of talent and diversity of theme and style, of writers supported by the Endowment. The volume includes Isaac Bashevis Singer's "The Slaughterer"; Allen Ginsberg's long poem "The Plutonian Ode"; poems by Galway Kinnell, W.S. Merwin, and John Berryman; a section of Maria Irene Fornes' play "Fefu and Her Friends" May Sarton's short story "The Silent Minister"; and excerpts from books by Ntozake Shange, Alice Walker, and Rita Mae Brown. Other contributors include: Grace Paley, John Gardner, Maxine Hong Kingston, Raymond Carver and Tobias Wolff. The appendix lists all 1200 recipients of awards and fellowships since 1966.