AMERICAN LITERATURE SINCE 1865

Literary criticism is “the analysis, study and evaluation of individual works of art.”

A Handbook to Literature by William Harmon and C. Hugh Holman R 803 H22h7

If you are looking for book-length literary criticism, use the keyword approach in SIRSI iLink (Public Access Catalog).

Examples Hurston, Zora Neale

Hurston, Zora Neale – Criticism and interpretation

American Literature – 20^th century – criticism

Harlem Renaissance

Women in Literature

Criticism in Reference Books and The Gale Literary Index

The Gale Group offers a series of publications that provide literary criticism for works from the classical times to the present. Each series has a similar format. The entries are organized alphabetically by literary author. Each entry includes a brief biographical sketch of the author, excerpts from criticism, and an annotated bibliography of further resources. To find the full text of the criticism, use the citation at the end of the excerpt. Each volume includes a cumulative author index to all preceding volumes. An electronic index to all the Gale Reference books can be located on the SE Library home page under Electronic Resources.

R 809.046 R 45c Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC)

Covers authors now living or who died after December 31, 1959.

R 809.04 T 91 Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism (TCLC)

Covers authors who died between 1900 and 1959.

R 809.034 N 62 Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism (NCLC)

Covers authors who died between 1800 and 1899.

R 809.03 L71 Literature Criticism from 1400-1800 (LC)

Covers authors who died between 1400 and 1799.

R 809.889 B 56 Yd Black Literature Criticism (BLC)

Covers authors of the past two hundred years

R 811 P 751 Yy Poetry Criticism (PC)

Excerpts from criticism of the works of the most significant and widely studied poets of world literature. A cumulative title index lists in alphabetical order all individual poems contained in the PC series.

R 809.3 Sh 8 Yh Short Story Criticism (SSC)

Excerpts from criticism of the works of short fiction writers from all nationalities and periods.

R 928 D 56m Dictionary of Literary Biography (DLB)

DLB is a multi-volume work which provides detailed biographical sketches of the authors’ literary writings as well as general critical commentary.

Magill Publications (Frank N. Magill, Editor)

The first three series are similar in format. Each includes achievements, biography, and critical analysis of principal works. In the last volume essays give an overview of the historical development of each genre. A subject index lists authors, titles of works, and literary terms.

R 821.009 C 86 Critical Survey of Poetry

Eight volumes cover 390 poets.

R 809.31 C 86 Yml Critical Survey of Long Fiction

Eight volumes cover 332 individual novelists.

R 809.31 C86Ym Critical Survey of Short Fiction

Seven volumes covering 348 authors of short fiction who are established in the short story genre.

R 822.C86Y Critical Survey of Drama

Covers 198 dramatists as well as essays on various aspects of English language drama.

R 801.95 C86 Ym Critical Survey of Literary Theory

Four volumes provide historical coverage from ancient philosophers to contemporary literary critics. Articles are arranged alphabetically by theorist. Each article provides explanation of theories and criticism. Volume 4 contains essays on literary

thought, a glossary, and an index.

R 809.1003 N 84s Notable Poets

Three volumes comprise biographical sketches and critical studies of 110 of the world’s best-known poets from antiquity to the late twentieth century.

Subject Encyclopedias

R 810.896073

H22W Harlem Renaissance : A Gale Critical Companion

A three volume set that gives relevant criticism and interpretation of the Harlem Renaissance.

R 810.9896073

C86w The Critics and the Harlem Renaissance

R 810.9 R72h Harlem Renaissance and Beyond

R 810.9975 C73f The Companion to Southern Literature: Themes, Genres, Places, People, Movements and Motifs.

R 809.9335503

N38s Social Protest Literature : An Encyclopedia of Works, Characters, Authors, and Themes

R 809.9355 J63s The Social Impact of the Novel : A Reference Guide

R 809.899287

F34k Feminist Writers

R 809.93372

Sn5E Encyclopedia of Utopian Literature

R 810 C14b The Cambridge History of American Literature

R 809.3876

Su7 Supernatural Fiction Writers

R 809.38762

Sci1Yb Science Fiction Writers : Critical Studies of the Major Authors from the Early Nineteenth Century to the Present Day

Biographical Sources

The following sources are reference sources usually providing briefer information about literary authors and some interpretation of their works.

R 928 Af8 African American Writers

These articles are intended to provide an introduction to the work of African American writers. The main body of the test contains a survey of the author’s principal writings.

R 920.72 N84s Notable Black American Women

Brief biography, critical analysis of the book and references.

R 809 Au8s5 Author Biographies Master Index

“A consolidated index to more than one million biographical sketches concerning authors living and dead”

R 928 C74au Contemporary Authors

R 810.9 Am3 American Writers

R 810.9 Am3m American Women Writers

A specialized reference work. It contains insightful biographical sketches interlaced with critical commentary.

R 810.9 C74 Concise Dictionary of American Literary Biography

Dictionaries and Handbooks

NA 810.9 L71 A literary History of the American West

R 803 H22h7 A Handbook to Literature

R 803 C89p4 The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory

R 808.3 Ab8g6 A Glossary of Literary Terms

R 809.91090403 T91h Twentieth Century Literary Movements Dictionary

R 809.31 R25 Reference Guide to Short Fiction

Includes entries on the most significant writers of short fiction from the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Each entry includes a biography, a complete list of writer’s books, selected list of bibliographies and critical studies, and a signed essay. The concluding section indexes individual short stories and a signed essay summarizes the plot and the significance of the story.

R 809.33 N85 Novelists and Prose Writers

Each entry consists of a biography, a complete list of published books, a list of published bibliographies and a signed critical essay.

Character Information in Books

R 813.009 M28 Major Characters in American Fiction

Long entries on the most important characters.

R 803 H24c Characters in 20^th-Century Literature

Brief entry on characters.

R 909.927 H83Yc Characters in 19^th Century Literature

Indexes and Databases

EbscoHost Masterfile Premier and Academic Search Elite (suggested databases)

First Search MLA, ECO, Wilson Select, (suggested databases)

For a complete list of journal holdings consult the Library’s Periodical Holding List.