The American literature course has returned to the college campus since the reform era ，and the construction of college textbooks of American literature has been booming in the 1990s． Making a general survey of the college textbooks of A- merican literature published in the 1990s ，especially comparing those ten textbooks which have played important roles and exerted some far-reaching influence on the college teaching of American literature ，it can be noticed that they share some similarities con- cerning the compiling style ，the selection of authors as well as their works ，the feasibility in teaching practice ，etc． ，while enjo- ying their own distinctive characteristics in many aspects． Generally speaking ，based on the general trends of American literature research in the 1990s and the feedbacks from college teaching practice of American literature ，the construction of college text- books of American literature has kept up with the times and made a flourishing advancement．