Siepmann, Katherine Baker ed. Benet's Readers's Encyclopedia. 3rd ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1987 Ref PN 41 .B4 1987
This work contains brief entries on all topics of literature. It is international in scope and focuses on the twentieth century.
Cuddon, J.A. Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. 3rd ed. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell, 1991. Ref PN 41 .C83 1991
Includes technical terms, forms, and genres. It provides history, development, examples and practitioners. Popular forms.
Harmon, William and Holman, C. Hugh. Handbook to Literature. 7th ed. New York: Macmillan, 1996. Ref PN 41 .H355 1996
A standard work based on Thrall and Hibbard's's classic handbook . It provides definitions of words and phrases pertaining to both English & American literature. It is well cross referenced and it includes a chronological outline on literary history.
Klein, Leonard S. ed. Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century. 5 vols. , rev. ed. New York: Unger & Continuum, 1981-93. Ref PN 771 .E5 1981
International scope. Good biographical & critical source.
Drabble, Margaret ed. Oxford Companion to English Literature. 6th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Ref PR 19 .D73 1995
Standard work known for brevity, accuracy and comprehensiveness. Includes current biographies, movements & individual works covered in detailed.
Jeffrey, David L. ed. A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992. Ref PR 149 .B5 D53 1992
Analyzes how biblical terms, people, places, concepts, etc. are used in the secular works of English language writers. The biblical context and interpretation of the entries are identified along where they are found in the literature. Contains helpful annotated bibliographies including "Studies of the Bible as Literature", "Influence of the Bible on English Literature" and "Use of the Bible by a Single Author or Group of Authors".
Salzman, Jack ed. The Cambridge Handbook of American Literature. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1986. Ref PS 21 .C36 1986
Presents very brief but informative entries on all areas of American literature. Contains a chronology of American history and developments in literature presented side by side.
Hart, James D. ed. Oxford Companion to American Literature. 6th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995. Ref PS 21 .H3 1995
Includes brief biographies of authors, summaries of works, and definitions of literary schools and movements.
Kaster, David Scott and Elliot, Emory ed. The Reader's Adviser: Volume 1, Best in Reference Works, British Literature and American Literature. 14th ed. New Providence, NJ: Bowker, 1994. Ref Z 1035 .B7 Vol. 1
Up to date overview of literature arranged by period and genre. Provides brief biographies of authors, list of important works and works about the author.
Stade, George ed. European Writers: Selected Authors. 3 vols. New York: Charles Scribner and Sons, 1992. Ref PN 501 .E9 1992
Sixty-eight unabridged essays from the 14 volume work, European Writers. Authors selected considered those to be studied the most.
Watson, Noelle ed. Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Chicago: St James Press, 1994. Ref PN 3373 .R36 1994
Provides brief biographies and criticism for nineteenth and twentieth century authors of short stories.
Kirkpatrick, D.L. ed. Reference Guide to English Literature. 3 vols. rev. ed. Chicago:St James Press, 1994. Ref PR 83 .R83
Furnishes brief biographical essays, list of works and bibliographies of critical studies for English language authors, except for American. Volume one contains essays on literary periods.
Bruccoli, Matthew J. et. al. Dictionary of Literary Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1978- . (DLB) Ref PS 21 .D53
Provides biographical material, a bibliography of the author's works and critical essays. The volumes organize authors by topic area, time period or genre. Two supplementary series are available, a Yearbook series and a highly illustrated Documentary series. Requires use of the cumulative index since entries on an individual may be found in several volumes.
Kilvert, Ian Scott and Stade, George eds. British Writers. 8 vols. and 3 supplements. Charles Scribner and Sons, 1979-84. Ref PR 85 .B688
Looks at English writers and evaluates their principle works from the fourteenth century to the present. Arrangement is chronological.
Contemporary Authors. Detroit: Gale, 1962-.
An up to date biographical guide containing personal information, bibliography of writings and a list of critical sources for their work. This work is very broad in scope and is a helpful biographical tool for people in almost any field. The library has two series, the Original Series and the New Revised Series. Use of the cumulative index is a must since entries on an individual may be found in several volumes.
These works introduce authors of the corresponding time period and the most significant interpretations of their works. Arrangement is by author and the series are broken down according to the date of the death of the author. However, Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism, Twentieth Century Literary Criticism and Contemporary Literary Criticism have separate title indexes. NOTE: Use of the cumulative index, found in select volumes of each of the series, is the only way to locate the entry for a particular author. However, each Cumulative Index indexes all series as well as The Dictionary of Literary Biography.
Poupard, Dennis ed. Literature Criticism from 1400-1800. Detroit: Gale, 1984- . (LC) Ref PN 86 .L53
This works attempts international coverage but focuses primarily on English authors, but it excludes Shakespeare.
Poupard, Dennis and Krstovic, Jelena O. eds. Classical and Medieval Literature Criticism. Detroit: Gale, 1988- . (CMLC) Ref PN 665 .C51
This series covers authors who died before 1400.
Nineteenth Century Literature Criticism. Detroit: Gale, 1981- . (NCLC) Ref PN 761 .N5
This series covers authors who died between 1800 and 1899.
Poupard, Dennis ed. Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Detroit: Gale, 1978 - . (TCLC) Ref PN 771 .C27
This series covers writers who died between 1900 and 1959.
Riley, Carolyn ed. Contemporary Literary Criticism. Detroit: Gale, 1973- . (CLC) Ref PN 771 .C59
This series covers authors who are now living or who died since 1960.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature. 5 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1983. Ref PN 56 .F34 F97
This work is arranged by title and contains summaries and critical essays of a broad range of writings over the last two hundred years. The essays in Volume 5 are on theories and include a chronology.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Critical Survey of Short Fiction. 7 vols and supplement. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1981. Ref PN 3321 .C7
Biographical material, bibliography and examination of principal works. The first two volumes are general essays on short stories while volume 7 consists of current writers description of their own work.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Critical Survey of Long Fiction. 8 vols and supplement. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1981. Ref PN 3321 .C7
Biographical material on authors and analysis of work, particularly useful for twentieth century writers. Volume 8 contains significant articles on forms of the novel.
Magill, Frank N. ed.. 6 vols and supplement. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1985. Ref PR 623 .C7 1985
Arrangement by playwright with a critical analysis of subject's major writings. Volume 5 consists of essays on various aspects of English language drama.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Cyclopedia of Literary Characters II. 4 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1990. Ref PN 44 .M28 1990
Provides character summaries of works in the Masterplots II series. Arrangement is by title of the literary work.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Masterplots: 2,010 Plot Stories and Essay Reviews from the World's Fine Literature. 12 vols. rev. ed. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1976. Ref PN 44 .M33 1976
This work is arranged by title and is a highly acclaimed source of reference information and plot summaries. It also contains a limited amount of critical essays.
Magill, Frank N. and Mazzeno, Laurence W. eds. Masterplots: 1,801 Plot Stories and Essay Reviews from the World's Fine Literature. 12 vols. Revised 2nd ed. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1996. Ref PN 44 .M33 1996
This is a revision of the 1976 edition which has four hundred new works while dropping many outdated ones. It contains plot summaries, critical evaluations and annotated bibliographies.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Survey of Contemporary Literature. 12 vols. rev. ed. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1977. Ref PN 44 .M34 1977
Features updated reprints from the complete run of Masterplots Annual Volumes (yearly essay reviews of 100 outstanding books of each year) between 1954 and 1976.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Masterplots II: Non Fiction Series. 4 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1989. Ref PN 44 .M345 1989
This work covers a broad range of mainly English language writings. Included are biographies and histories as well as literature in the fields of philosophy, science, sociology linguistics and psychology.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Masterplots II: American Fiction Series. 6 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1994. Ref PN 846 .M37 1994
Offers plot summaries of twentieth century American and Latin American works not dealt with in the earlier editions of Masterplots. It gives more attention to matters of characterization and narrative devices.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Masterplots II: Short Stories Series. 6 vols & 4 supplements. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1986. Ref PN 3326 .M27 1986
Plots and critical evaluations arranged by title of nineteenth and twentieth century works.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Masterplots II: World Fiction Series. 4 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1988. Ref PN 3326 .M26 1988
Reviews the writings from the nineteenth and twentieth century of non English speaking countries.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Masterplots: Revised Category Series, European Fiction Series 3 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1985. Ref PN 3326 .M7 1985
Contains the 316 works of European fiction which appeared in "Masterplots".
Magill, Frank N. ed. Masterplots II: British and Commonwealth Fiction Series. 4 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1987. Ref PR 881 .M39 1987
Summarizes and reviews British works, and those from the English Commonwealth, from the twentieth century.
Salzman, Jack and Wilkinson, Pamela eds. Major Characters in American Fiction. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1994. Ref PS 374 .C43 M35 1994
Summary essays on 1,600 major and minor characters from American novels and short stories.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Magill's Literary Annual. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1977- . Ref Z 1219 .M33
Essay reviews of books from previous year. It picks up where Masterplots Annual Volumes ceased. (Library only has editions through the year 1989)
Preminger, Alex ed. Princeton Encyclopedia or Poetry and Poetics. Enlarged ed. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1974. Ref PN 1021 .E5 1974
Scholarly work which is international in scope. It covers all area of poetry including history, theory, technique and criticism.
Granger, Edith and Smith, William James eds. Granger Index to Poetry. 6th ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 1973. Ref PN 1022 .G7 1973
Indexes twentieth century poems in anthologies by title, first line, author and subject. Considered the standard work to locate English Language poems.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Masterplots II: Poetry Series. 6 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1992. Ref PN 1110.5 .M37 1992
This works has a broad international scope as it looks at poetry from the seventh century until today. Arrangement is by title and includes discussion on form, devices, themes and meanings.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Critical Survey of Poetry: English Language Series. 8 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1982. Ref PN 1111 .C7
Biographies and critical comments on poets from the eighth century to the present. Volume eight includes essays on periods and schools.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Critical Survey of Poetry: foreign Language Series. 8 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1984. Ref PN 1111 .C7 1984
Brief biographies and simple analysis of the work of non-English writing poets. Essays of volume 5 are on the poetry of different nations.
Collier, Laurie and Nakamura, Joyce eds. Major Authors and Illustrators for Children's Literature. 6 vols. Detroit: Gale, 1993. Ref PN 451 .M37 1993
Updates and revises biographical sketches from "Something About the Authors".
Commire, Anne ed. Something About the Authors. Detroit: Gale, 1971- . Ref PN 451 .S6
Biographies on authors and illustrators of children's literature. It is aimed at children as well as adults and is very well illustrated.
Carpenter, Humphrey and Pritchard, Marie eds. Oxford Companion to Children's Literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 1984. Ref PN 1008.5 C37 1984
Covers children's literature in a broad and comprehensive manner. Entries define topics, summarize titles and give biographical sketches. Historical entries are superior to contemporary entries.
Butler, Francela, Bator, Robert and Wolff, Robert Lee eds. Masterworks of Children' s Literature. 8 vols. New York: Stonehill, 1983. Ref PN 6071 .C5 M3
An historical overview of children's literature which includes anthologies.
Magill, Frank N. ed. Masterplots II: Juvenile and Young Adult Literature. 4 vols. Englewood, CA: Salem Press, 1991. Ref Z 1037 .A1 M377 1991
Summaries of literature for children ages 10-18. Arrangement is by title.