Library Guides: English: Books

Subject Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

The Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism
A collection of lengthy, detailed essays and analytical biographies of major literary criticism figures that assumes a solid groundwork in literary studies. Best for upper-level literature majors and graduate students.
The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms
A great place to find basic definitions of literary terms, each illustrated with an example from literature.
The Oxford Companion to African American Literature
An invaluable resource for definitions and explanations of anything related to African-American literature. Also available as an ebook.

Contemporary Literary Criticism
Covers authors who are currently active or who died after December 31, 1959, providing profiles of creative and nonfiction writers with criticism from a variety of sources.
Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism
Presents substantial excerpts from the best criticism on the major literary figures and nonfiction writers, including novelists, poets, playwrights and literary theorists from 1900 to 1999.
Black Literature Criticism
Similar to the other literary criticism collections, with excerpts from criticism of the most significant works of black authors over the past 200 years.
Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism
A convenient source of commentary on the careers and works of acclaimed poets, novelists, short story writers, dramatists and philosophers who died between 1800 and 1899.

American Women Writers
Short biographical entries with good bibliographies and lists of works by each author.
American Writers
Lengthy but accessible essays that discuss the lives of American authors and several of their works or common themes.
British Writers
ISBN: 0684157985
The British counterpart to the American Writers volume, with the same format.