Gracious laughter : the meditative wit of Edward Taylor /

Gatta (University of Connecticut, Storrs) offers a sophisticated reassessment of the poetry of Edward Taylor (1642-1729), the famous Puritan divine. What is new about this approach is that Gatta focuses on Taylor's wit as the transformative link between his spirituality and his art. In this well-informed study, which explores the range of Taylor's comic spirit from his occasional poems to Preparatory Meditations to the rather animated Gods Determinations Touching His Elect, Gatta is original and thorough in his examination of the connection between the poet's mirth and his divinity. He also addresses the ongoing question of Taylor's being branded as an "American" poet. In an appendix, Gatta chronicles significant events in Taylor's life and charts the development of his poetry. Complete with footnotes and an extensive bibliography, the book is highly recommended for upper-level undergraduates, graduate students, and scholars. -D. D. Knight, SUNY at Albany