What is henry nash smith?

Henry Nash Smith (1906-1986) was an American literary critic and cultural historian best known for his influential book "Virgin Land: The American West as Symbol and Myth" (1950), which analyzed the myths and symbols associated with the American West and their influence on American culture. He was a professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley, from 1945 to 1976, where he was also the founding director of the Huntington Library's American Studies Program. In addition to "Virgin Land," Smith wrote several other books on American literature and culture, including "Mark Twain: The Development of a Writer" (1962), "Verging on the Abyss: The Social Fiction of Kate Chopin and Edith Wharton" (1990), and "Studying the Popular: A Symposium" (1992). He was also a founding editor of the journal American Quarterly. Smith's contributions to American studies helped establish the field's focus on cultural history and literary analysis, and he remains a key figure in the study of American art, literature, and culture today.