Reference Resources: Literature -- Criticism And Other Reference

All Things Austen: An Encyclopedia Of Austen's World
More than 150 entries provide historical details on the form and function of everyday and obscure objects that are mentioned in Jane Austen's novels -- what her characters ate and wore, domestic items, the social scene, the workplace, the church, special events and rituals, and everyday customs. Included are entries on beverages, carriages and coaches, clothing, dance, etc.
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All Things Chaucer: An Encyclopedia Of Chaucer's World
This two-volume set (2006) contains about 150 alphabetically-arranged entries on Chaucer's life, works, world, characters, and literary references. The above link takes you to Volume 1 (A-J) and this link takes you to Volume 2.
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American History Through Literature, 1820-1870
Presents over 250 entries on the relationship between history and literature during the 50-year period that "witnessed the birth of a truly American literature." Published in print form as a three-volume set in 2005. You can see a PDF copy of the table of contents here.
Purchase was made possible by the Lois Ferguson and Fred Carrington Cole Endowment.
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American History Through Literature, 1870-1920
Presents over 250 entries on the relationship between history and literature during the 50-year period from the years following the Civil War through World War I. Published in print form as a three-volume set in 2005. You can see a PDF copy of the table of contents here.
Purchase was made possible by the Lois Ferguson and Fred Carrington Cole Endowment.
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Arab Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide, 1873-1999
Edited by Radwa Rashour and first published in Arabic in 2004, this 2008 translation "traces the development of Arab women’s literature through the end of the twentieth century" with country-by-country essays. Also includes a comprehensive bibliography.
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Arthurian Writers
Signed literary biographies of about 30 "major contributors to Arthurian fiction," from Gildas and Bede, through the Gawain poet, Chaucer, Malory, Dryden, Arnold, Twain, Walker Percy, Margaret Atwood, and others.
Purchase was made possible by the McCrum Palmer Book Fund.
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Blackwell Guide To Literary Theory
2007 guide by Gregory Castle provides: a brief history of the rise of literary theory in the twentieth century, placing different theories within historical contexts; an alphabetically-organized series of entries on key figures and publications, from Adorno to Žižek; descriptions of the major movements in literary theory, from critical theory through to postcolonial theory. You can view the table of contents here.
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Cambridge Collections Online
Based on the Cambridge Companions series, this ever-growing database currently contains over 2,000 essays offering "introductions to major writers, artists, philosophers, topics and periods." It includes the contents of over 290 volumes in the Cambridge Companions series in Literature, Classics, Philosophy, Religion, and Culture. The library also holds many of these titles in printed form.
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Cambridge Companion To Feminist Literary Theory
2006 volume "presents a range of approaches to the field. Some of the essays demonstrate feminist critical principles at work in analysing texts, while others take a step back to trace the development of a particular feminist literary method." You may preview a copy of the table of contents.
You can search the contents of this and over 290 other volumes in Cambridge Collections Online.
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Cambridge History Of American Literature
This eight-volume set, completed in 2005, is a "comprehensive narrative and analysis of four centuries of achievement in all genres of writing. The authors include many of the most eminent scholars working in the field today." You may view a list of the volumes. The library also has printed volumes, as well as the first edition.
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Cambridge History Of English And American Literature
Originally published in the first two decades of the 20th century, this is considered one of the most important collections of literary history and criticism ever published, with more than 11,000 pages on poetry, fiction, drama, essays, and history.
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Children's Folklore: A Handbook
This authoritative introduction (2008) includes a discussion of how children's folklore is defined, classifications of various types of children's folklore, a selection of examples and texts, scholars' views on children's folklore since the 19th century, and how children's folklore has become popular in popular culture.
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Columbia Granger's World Of Poetry
The primary function is that of an index to poems in published anthologies, and the database now includes over 300,000 citations to such poems. However, this electronic Granger's also contains additional materials, including 30,000 poems in full text, 7,500 excerpts, and additional biographical information and commentaries. The database is updated quarterly.
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Companion To Herman Melville
Edited by Wyn Kelley, this 2006 work is comprised of 35 original essays by scholars from around the world, representing a range of different approaches to Melville, including postcolonial and feminist perspectives. You may view the table of contents here.
Purchase was made possible by Hal F. and Barbra B. Higginbotham.
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Companion To Medieval English Literature And Culture
This 2006 volume contains a collection of newly-commissioned essays on medieval literature and culture. You may view the table of contents here.
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Companion To Satire
This 2006 volume is a collection of 29 original essays, surveying satire from its emergence in Western literature to the present. You can view the table of contents here.
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Companion To Walt Whitman
Edited by Donald Kummings, this 2006 volume contains more than 30 substantial essays written by leading scholars and constitutes an "exceptionally broad-ranging and in-depth guide to one of America's greatest poets." Includes contributions devoted to specific poetry and prose works, a compact biography of the poet, and a bibliography. You may view the table of contents here.
Purchase was made possible by Hal F. and Barbra B. Higginbotham.
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Companion To The Literatures Of Colonial America
2005 volume provides "a broad introduction to the field of early American and comparative colonial studies... essays discuss major issues shaping the field today, and help contextualize early texts by situating them in relation to broader historical and cultural movements and moments..." You may view the table of contents here.
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Contemporary Authors
Contemporary Authors (CA) is a bio-bibliographical guide to over 120,000 current writers in fiction, general nonfiction, poetry, journalism, drama, motion pictures, television, and other fields.
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Critical Companion To Dante
2008 work by Jay Ruud contains a concise biography of Dante, synopses and critical assessments of Dante's work, including extensive coverage of the three parts of The Divine Comedy, descriptions of Dante's characters, related people, places, and topics, including friends and literary influences, etc.
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Critical Companion To William Faulkner
Subtitled A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, this 2008 work includes coverage of major works, biographical and family information, interviews and speeches, and more.
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Dictionary Of Literary Symbols
Second edition (2007) of Michael Ferber's compilation of symbolic items "based on literature, rather than ‘universal’ psychological archetypes or myths." The library also has the first edition in its collection.
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Early American Nature Writers
This 2007 volume begins with an introductory essay on the history of early American nature writing and then provides signed, alphabetically-arranged entries on 52 writers, including Agassiz, Audubon, Emerson, Thoreau, the Bartrams, Meriwether Lewis, and Charles Wesley Powell.
Purchase was made possible by the Victor Roger Bond '56 Library Endowment Fund.
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Encyclopedia Of Feminist Literature
This 2004 resource profiles nearly 70 important women writers, as well as offering over 20 other entries on such themes as sexuality and and the novel.
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Encyclopedia Of Hip Hop Literature
2008 volume contains about 180 signed, alphabetically-arranged entries covering "the world of Hip Hop literature" and "its social and cultural contexts," including authors, genres, works, musical artists, fashion designers, directors, and other figures.
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Encyclopedia Of Latin American Literature
One-volume collection (1997) of signed entries "about writers, works, and topics relating to the literature of Latin America, which is defined to include the French- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean islands and Mexico as well as the countries of Central and South America." The library also has a printed copy in its collection.
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Encyclopedia Of Latin American And Caribbean Literature
2005 volume contains about 200 signed entries "on all aspects of literature, including authors, critics, major works, magazines, genres, schools and movements in these regions from the beginning of the twentieth century..."
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Feminism In Literature: A Gale Critical Companion
Published as a six-volume set in 2004, this resource explores the history of women and feminism throughout literature, from classical antiquity to modern times. Essays include biographical entries and coverage of such topics as women in the medieval world and feminist literary theory. A copy of the table of contents is here.
This purchase was made possible by the Alice M. Dean Fund.
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Gale Contextual Encyclopedia Of American Literature
Four-volume set (2009) contains nearly 500 entries on American writers which "analyze an author's work as a reflection of the heritage, traditions and experiences of the author's personal life and the beliefs, events, and lifestyles of the United States at the time." You may view a copy of the table of contents.
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Gothic Literature
Part of the Edinburgh Critical Guides to Literature series, this 2007 volume by Andrew Smith "provides a thorough grounding in both the history of Gothic literature and the way in which Gothic texts have been (and can be) critically read." You may view a copy of the table of contents.
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Gothic Literature: A Gale Critical Companion
Three-volume set (2006) covers "all facets of the gothic, including visual and performing arts, society and culture, themes and settings and much more." Volume 1 contains thematic essays, while the remaining volumes cover about 25 major authors. You may view a copy of the table of contents.
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Greenwood Encyclopedia Of Folktales And Fairy Tales
Edited by Donald Haase, this three-volume set (2007) contains nearly 700 signed, alphabetically-arranged entries covering major approaches, important authors and scholars, geographical areas, and themes. The above link takes you Volume 1, which covers A-to-F. Here are links to Volume 2 (G-to-P) and Volume 3 (Q-to-Z, bibliography, and Index covering all volumes).
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Historical Companion To Postcolonial Literatures: Continental Europe And Its Empires
2008 volume contains essays "about the political, cultural and economic contexts of postcolonial literatures that have their provenance in the major European Empires of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, as well as places like Latin America and the Philippines." You may preview a copy of the table of contents.
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International Companion Encyclopedia Of Children's Literature
Second edition of Peter Hunt's encyclopedia contains fifty new articles, and all the other articles from the first edition have been updated or substantially revised. New topics include Postcolonialism, Comparative Studies, Ancient Texts, Contemporary Children's Rhymes and Folklore, Contemporary Comics, War, Horror, Series Fiction, Film, Creative Writing, and 'Crossover' literature, and the international section has been expanded.
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J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship And Critical Assessment
This 2007 volume contains about 500 signed alphabetically-arranged entries reviewing the most recent scholarship on Tolkien, as well as outlining the author and scholar's life and work within historical and cultural contexts. His fiction and his sources of influence are examined along with his artistic and academic achievements, including his translations of medieval texts.
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Latin American Fiction: A Short Introduction
Philip Swanson's 2004 volume "presents Latin American fiction in its cultural and political contexts... Combines an overview of the evolution of modern Latin American fiction with detailed studies of key texts. You may view a copy of the table of contents.
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Literature Resource Center
Large database containing extensive biographical and critical information on writers, movements, and works from virtually all time periods.
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Literature Of Latin America
Rafael's Ocasio's 2004 volume contains lengthy essays which consider "works of Latin American literature not only in terms of literary merit, but also with regard to their place in the literary heritage."
You may view a copy of the table of contents here. The library also has a printed copy.
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Magill On Literature Plus
This database includes: Masterplots (12 volumes), Masterplots II (58 volumes), Cyclopedia of World Authors (5 volumes), Cyclopedia of Literary Characters (5 volumes), Magill's Literary Annual 1990-2005 (32 volumes), Magill's Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature (4 volumes) and Magill Book Reviews (6,800+). In addition, this database also includes Critical Surveys (35 volumes), Magill's Choice: Notable Poets (3 volumes), Magill's Choice: Shakespeare (1 volume), Magill's Choice: 100 Masters of Mystery and Detective Fiction (2 volumes) and World Philosophers and Their Works (3 volumes).
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New Oxford Companion To Literature In French
The 1995 edition of this guide offers over 3,000 entries covering not only ten centuries of literature from France, but also material on other French language-speaking countries around the world. Also available in printed form in the library's collection.
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New Princeton Encyclopedia Of Poetry And Poetics
"Comprehensive reference work dealing with all aspects of its subject -- history, types, movements, prosody, and critical terminology... Entries vary in length from relatively brief notices to substantial articles of about 20,000 words." This is the 1993 edition, edited by Alex Preminger & T.V.F. Brogan
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Oxford Companion To American Literature
Sixth edition (1995) contains over 2000 biographical profiles of American authors (with information regarding their style, subjects, and major works), as well as other figures who have been important in the nation's social and cultural history. Includes more than 1,100 summaries of American novels, stories, essays, poems, plays, biographies and autobiographies, etc. The library has printed copies of various editions in its collection.
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Oxford Companion To Chaucer
First published in 2003, this guide contains over 2,000 entries on "Chaucer's life and times, his works and the characteristics of them, his language and metre, his reading and the creative uses he made of it, and his major moral and literary themes." A printed copy is available in the library collection.
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Oxford Companion To English Literature
Seventh edition (2009) contains over 7,000 entries, including some lengthy essays, provide extensive coverage of writers, works, literary theory, allusions, and characters. Edited by Dinah Birch.
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Oxford Companion To Fairy Tales
Edited by Jack Zipes (2000), this edition contains over 800 entries on stories and characters, along with the writers who wrote and reworked them and the artists who illustrated them. Survey articles explore the development of the fairy-tale tradition in individual countries, focusing particularly on the European and North American traditions. A printed copy is available in the library collection.
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Oxford Companion To German Literature
The third edition (1997) is a classic guide to "the whole sweep of literature from German-speaking countries from the eighth century onwards." A printed copy is available in the Library collection.
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Oxford Companion To Italian Literature
Over 2,400 entries (2002) on "the whole of Italian literature, from the early thirteenth century to the present... covering historical writing, travel writing, theatre, and philosophy as well as the novel, poetry, literary dialogues, and critical theory." Also available in printed form in the library collection.
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Oxford Companion To Shakespeare
First published in 2001, this guide provides about 3,000 entries on the Bard's plays and poems and their criticism and interpretation.
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Oxford Companion To Twentieth-Century Literature In English
This 1996 volume contains entries on "English-language writers and writing throughout the twentieth century," including authors, works, periodicals, and literary movements. The library also has a printed copy.
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Oxford Companion To Women's Writing In The United States
This 1995 guide, with over 800 entries, offers a "comprehensive survey of women writers across four centuries of American history. Includes biographical entries on poets, novelists, and playwrights, as well as writers who have made contributions in other fields, such as Betty Friedan, Rachel Carson, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B Anthony. Topical entries on personal, cultural, and historical issues, such as AIDS, racism, sexual harassment, the Civil War, black feminism, lesbian literary theory, and deconstruction. A printed copy is available in the library's collection.
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Oxford Dictionary Of Literary Terms
Third edition (2008), written by Chris Baldick, contains about 1,200 entries covering "everything from the ancient "dithyramb" to the contemporary "dub poetry," from the popular "bodice-ripper" to the aristocratic "masque," and from the "social realism" of Stalin's era to the "magic realism" of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Previous editions are also available in the library's collection.
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Oxford Dictionary Of Plays
Inclusive information on 1,000 best-known plays in world theater.
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Oxford Encyclopedia Of American Literature
This 2004 publication contains about 350 signed essays by leading scholars, covering American literary history from the 1600's to the present day. Essay topics include individual authors, works, movements, themes, etc.
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Oxford Encyclopedia Of British Literature
A five-volume set in printed form (2006), this encyclopedia contains 500 signed substantial essays which cover "the entire history of British literature from the seventh century to the present, focusing on the writers and the major texts of what are now the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland," including biographies and topical essays with detailed analyses of particular themes, movements, genres, and institutions.
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Oxford Encyclopedia Of Children's Literature
This four-volume set (printed form, 2006) contains over 3,200 entries that comprehensively document and interpret books read by children throughout the world, with attention to significant international trends and the multicultural expansion of the field. It includes brief biographies of major authors and illustrators and feature essays on genres, individual works, and prominent trends and themes.
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Oxford Guide To Literature In English Translation
Published in 2000, this guide contains about 170 substantial entries on individual works (such as Virgil's Aeneid or Thousand and One Nights), writers, genres, and national literatures, complemented by more substanital essays on such issues as the problems of translating poetry. A printed volume is available in the library's collection.
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Oxford Reference Online -- Literature
This sub-set of the Oxford Reference Online service contains the complete texts of over 25 literary dictionaries and companions, including the Oxford Companion to American Literature and the Oxford Companion to English Literature.
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Routledge Dictionary Of Literary Terms
This 2005 volume, containing over 200 entries, is a revision and expansion of Roger Flowler's Dictionary of Modern Critical Terms, first published in 1973.
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Writers Directory
PLEASE NOTE: THIS RESOURCE WILL NOT BE UPDATED AFTER SEPTEMBER 2009.
Up-to-date biographical and contact information for approximately 20,000 living authors worldwide who have at least one English publication. Entries typically include name, pseudonyms, addresses, citizenship, birth date, specialization, career information, and -- if available -- an e-mail address.
The link above takes you to the current edition -- 2009 (published in 2008). We also have online access to these earlier editions: 2008.
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Year's Work In Critical And Cultural Theory
An annual narrative bibliography of work in the field of critical and cultural theory, recording significant debates and issues of interest in a broad field of research in the humanities and social sciences. Examples: Post-Modernism, Feminisms, Multiculturalism, Deconstruction, etc.
Volumes dated 1996-to-date are available online. The library also holds printed volumes.
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Year's Work In English Studies
An important annual "qualitative narrative bibliographical review of scholarly work on English language and literatures written in English... Each volume includes a detailed overview from Old English to contemporary critical works for a given year."
Volumes dated 1996-to-date are available online. The library also holds printed volumes.
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