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Introduction
The literature collection of the General Research Division is one of the
world’s largest; the secondary materials which support it are extensive
enough to make possible all levels of research, from the simplest to the
most complex.
The purpose of this guide is not to list every available reference source,
but to suggest a few carefully selected places to begin a research project.
If you need further assistance, visit our reference desk, or e-mail us
at grdref@nypl.org
This research guide is created and maintained by Robert Armitage.
Using the Library’s Online Catalog
The Research Library’s catalog, CATNYP, can be consulted for locating both
original texts and works of literary criticism. It is easily accessible via
the World Wide Web at http://catnyp.nypl.org.
For general instructions on using CATNYP, please consult Using
the Library's Online Catalog.
Searches for original texts should be by title or author. A search for
the author as subject might point to reference works listed under a variety
of subject headings such as bibliography, biography, criticism and interpretation,
etc. In the event that monographs or collections have been devoted to a specific
work, there will also be a subject heading for that title. For instance,
while a subject search for Steinbeck John--Criticism and Interpretation currently
yields 33 entries, a search for Grapes of Wrath as a subject will
narrow the search to 13 entries. A recent subject search for Eliot,
T. S. (Thomas Stearns)--Criticism and Interpretation indicates
146 works of general or collective criticism. Searching Waste Land,
however, locates 49 titles devoted to that particular work. Once
located on CATNYP, these titles can be requested in the Bill Blass Public
Catalog Room and used in the Rose Main Reading Room.
Other Starting Points
For the most recent citations to be found in literary journals, it is recommended
that you begin with the electronic resources available in the General Research
Division, Room 315, notably the MLA International Bibliography and
the Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature.
From the Selected Electronic Resources menu, click the Literature and Linguistics
box. This will produce a descriptive list of available databases and recommended
Web sites.
Printed bibliographies can be consulted for locating sources of earlier
material. For particular periods or subject areas, a good guide to reference
works is the Literary research guide, 4th ed.,
(New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2002) in *RS-NCB
02-6708. An excellent first source for locating resources dealing
with individual authors is Reference works in British and American
literature located in the reading room with the call number *RS-NCB
98-12290.
In addition to items from the catalog, an open-shelf browsing collection
of major literary reference sources is available in the Rose Main Reading
Room, Room 315, along the northeast wall. Items housed here are indicated
in CATNYP with a classmark that includes the prefix *R or *RR (e.g., *R-NCB),
*RS or *RB (indicating an open-shelf bibliography). This basic collection
includes bibliographies, handbooks, surveys, critical studies, and a few
standard scholarly editions of notable authors.
For additional information or assistance, speak to a librarian at the
main reference desk in room 315, or contact us at grdref@nypl.org.
Book Reviews
Book reviews are useful for determining a book's contemporary reception.
Several full-text resources for locating book reviews are available online,
notably New York Times and the Times
Literary Supplement. For other newspapers or periodicals in
hard copy or on microfilm, check CATNYP.
Book Review
Digest (New York: H. W. Wilson Co., 1905- ) *R-*GAA
98-1102
Includes citations (with approximate word counts) and brief
excerpts from reviews. Covers periodicals published in the United States,
Great Britain, and Canada. Useful for popular fiction and nonfiction, less
so for scholarly works. Annual cumulations from 1905- are available in Room
315. Current issues are in the Current Periodicals Division, Room 108. Also
available electronically from 1983 to the present as part of the Selected
Electronic Resource Menu.
EBSCOhost Research
Databases
[electronic resource]
Online reference system offering a variety of databases,
many featuring full-text articles. Provides access to the MLA, and is useful
for locating book reviews.
Reiman, Donald H., comp. The
Romantics reviewed; contemporary reviews of British Romantic writers.
(New York, Garland Publishing, 1972), 3 v. in 9, JFF 73-251
Features reviews published in British periodicals, 1793-1824.Contents
include: pt. A. The Lake poets. 2 v. - pt. B. Byron and Regency society poets.
5 v. - pt. C. Shelley, Keats and London radical writers. 2 v. These volumes
must be requested from the stacks.
Ward, William Smith Literary
reviews in British periodicals, 1789-1797; a bibliography: with a supplementary
list of general (non-review) articles on literary subjects (New
York: Garland Pub., 1979) *RS-NCB 87-6984
Ward, William Smith Literary
reviews in British periodicals, 1798-1820; a bibliography. With a supplementary
list of general (non-review) articles on literary subjects (New
York: Garland Publishing, 1972), 2v.. *RS-NCB 73-1568
Ward, William Smith Literary
reviews in British periodicals, 1821-1826; a bibliography: with a supplementary
list of general (non-review) articles on literary subjects (New
York: Garland Pub., 1977) *RS-NCB 87-6901
This 4-volume set is essential for locating early criticism.
Books are organized alphabetically by author, then by publication date, with
reviews alphabetical by periodical title.
Wellesley index
to Victorian periodicals, 1824-1900 / Walter E. Houghton,
ed. (Toronto, Buffalo: University of Toronto Press, c1966-c1989), 5v., *R-*D
For each of the 43 indexed British periodicals there is a
table of contents and identification of contributors, a bibliography of each
contributor, and an index of pseudonyms. (Does not indicate reviews as such,
unless the title of the book or books is mentioned in the article's title).
For more information on finding Book Reviews, see the online
guide.
Drama (including Shakespeare resources)
General Dramatic Criticism
Shakespeare Resources
General Dramatic Criticism
Breed, Paul Francis Dramatic
criticism index; a bibliography of commentaries on playwrights from
Ibsen to the avant-garde (Detroit: Gale Research
Co., 1972) *RS-NAFD 75-314
Includes almost 12,000 entries on more than 300 playwrights,
primarily of the twentieth century. Organized alphabetically by playwright,
beneath which are listed general resources, followed by references to individual
plays.
Coleman, Arthur Drama
criticism (Denver: A. Swallow, 1966-71), 2v., *RB-NAF
Vol 1. contains a checklist of interpretations since 1940
of English and American plays. Vol. 2. contains a checklist of interpretations
since 1940 of classical and continental plays.
Critical Survey
of the Drama / Carl E. Rollyson, ed. (Pasadena,
Calif.: Salem Press, c2003),
2nd rev. ed., 8 v., *R-NAF 05-3840
Eddleman, Floyd Eugene American
drama criticism: interpretations, 1890-1977, 2nd
ed. (Hamden, Conn.: Shoe String Press, 1979) *RS-NBL 80-819
References to interpretations of American plays in books,
periodicals, and monographs. Arranged alphabetically by playwright, with
plays alphabetical beneath the author's name. Includes index to titles. Supplement
to the 2nd edition covers work through 1987.
Mikhail, E. H., ed. English
drama, 1900-1950: a guide to information sources (Detroit
: Gale Research Co., 1977) *RS-NAF 79-3669
Divided into chapters: Bibliographies, Reference Works, Critical
Books and Essays, Periodical Articles, and Individual Dramatists. Within
chapters, entries are arranged alphabetically; under individual authors,
they are arranged chronologically.
Otero, Rosalie C. Guide
to American drama explication (New York : G.K. Hall,
c1995) *RS-NBL 95-5084
Lists critical interpretations published between 1942 and
1994. Arranged alphabetically by playwright, with individual plays listed
alphabetically beneath.
Ottemiller, John H. Ottemiller's
index to plays in collections: an author and title index to plays appearing
in collections published between 1900 and 1985, 7th
ed. (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1988) *RS-NAF 88-4126
Useful for locating plays reprinted in anthologies.
Research guide
to biography and criticism: world drama / Walton
Beacham, ed. (Washington, D.C. : Beacham Pub., [1987], c1986). *RS-NAF
88-691
Contains listings for British and American as well as world
dramatists. Each entry contains, in addition to brief biographical and bibliographic
information, an overview and evaluation of selected biographical, autobiographical,
and critical sources.
Shuman, R. Baird American
drama, 1918-1960: an annotated bibliography (Pasadena,
Calif. : Salem Press, 1992) *RS-NBL 92-7446
Selective annotated bibliography of 27 midcentury American
playwrights.
Shakespeare Resources
Bergeron, David Moore. Shakespeare:
a study and research guide, 3rd ed. rev. (Lawrence:
University of Kansas, 1995) *RS-*NCI 95-6071
An excellent guide to book-length criticism and scholarship
currently (1995) available. Includes a chapter on how to prepare a research
paper on a Shakespearean topic.
Garland Shakespeare
bibliographies (New York: Garland Pub., 1980- ) *RS-*NCI
81-229
Ongoing series surveying Shakespeare scholarship published
from 1940 to the present. Each volume, covering a particular play, is fully
annotated, cross-referenced, and indexed.
Champion, Larry S. Essential
Shakespeare: an annotated bibliography of major modern studies,
2nd ed. (New York: G. K. Hall, 1993) *RS-*NCI 93-7053
One of the best selective bibliographies of Shakespearean
scholarship. Covers books and essays from 1900-1991. Includes reference works,
editions, criticism, textual studies, and occasionally stage history.
Shakespearean
criticism (Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1984- ) *R-NCV
84-778
Contains critical excerpts. Useful for a broad overview of
critical responses. Cumulative indexes to earlier volumes.
World Shakespeare Bibliography Online
[electronic resource]
International database provides more than 90,000 annotated
records for all important books, articles, book reviews, dissertations, theatrical
productions, reviews of productions, audiovisual materials, electronic media,
and other scholarly and popular materials related to Shakespeare between
1967 and late 2003.
Fiction
Short Fiction
Long Fiction
Genre Fiction
Short Fiction
Columbia companion
to the twentieth-century American short story /
Blanche H. Gelfant, ed. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000) *R-NBN
01-8130
Contains thematic essays on various aspects of the short
story, with selected bibliographies of representative short story collections
and critical studies which can be used as a starting point for additional
research.
Critical survey
of short fiction, rev. ed. /
Frank N. Magill, ed. (Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 1993), 7
v., *R-NAL 00-11665
Articles on established authors of short fiction, reflecting
their “development and opus, in terms of both life events and literary career”. One
or more pages of critical interpretation are included for each entry. Annotated
bibliographies provide possibilities for further research. The final volume
contains detailed and analytic essays on the development of short fiction.
Facts on File
companion to the American short story /
edited by Abby H.P. Werlock ; assistant editor, James P. Werlock (New
York : Facts on File, c2000) *R-NBN 00-8198
Focuses on American short fiction from the 19th century
to the 1990s. Contains author biographies, lists of stories and their critical
reception, and selected bibliographies. Included are entries on critical
theories, story locales, historical events, significant fictional protagonists,
influential magazines and critics, and major short story prize awards. Among
the appendices is a list of stories arranged by theme. Overview essays on
particular categories of short fiction. Selected bibliography of critical
histories and theoretical approaches.
Short story
criticism (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research Co., c1988- ) *R-NA
Covers short story writers of all eras and nationalities. Historical
critical survey of an author’s work, arranged chronologically. Cumulative
indexes.
Short story
index. (New York: H. W. Wilson, 1953- ) *RS-NAL
87-637
Locates works of short fiction in anthologies and in periodicals. Author,
title, and subject (or theme) indexes. Entries are keyed to anthologies
at the back (and in the cumulated volume Short story index: Collections
Indexed 1900-1978). Since 1974, also indexes stories covered
by Readers’ guide to periodical literature and Humanities
index.
Reference
guide to short fiction, 2nd edition /
Thomas Riggs, ed. (Detroit : St. James Press, c1999). *R-NAL
00-8182
Critical coverage for writers of short stories and novellas,
containing biographical and bibliographic information. Includes essays on
individual works of short fiction.
Walker, Warren S. Twentieth-century
short story explication, 3rd ed. (Hamden,
CT: Shoe String Press, 1993- ) *RS-NAL 88-2834
A bibliography of interpretations that have appeared since
1900 of short fiction published since 1800. Arranged by author, then individual
story, with a checklist of books and journals at the end of each volume. There
is a cumulated index to the third edition and its five supplements 1961-1991 (*RS-NAL
88-3727). Continued by Twentieth-century short story
explication: new series (*RS-NAL 95-126),
which extends coverage through 1996.
Weixlmann, Joe American
short fiction criticism and scholarship 1959-1977:
a checklist (Chicago : Swallow Press, c1982). *RS-NAL
88-2098
Includes critical and scholarly citations as well as interviews
and bibliographies for more than 500 authors of short fiction. Includes
sections on general studies for the 18th and 19th centuries,
the 20th century, and general bibliographies. The predecessor
of this work is: Thurston, Jarvis, Short
fiction criticism; a checklist of interpretation since 1925 of stories and
novelettes (American, British, Continental) 1800-1958 (Denver,
A. Swallow, 1960) D-13 635.
Long Fiction
Columbia history
of the American novel /
Emory Elliott, general ed. (New York: Columbia University Press, c1991). *R-NBN
92-20
One volume history on the development of the novel in the
United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Includes short
biographies of about 200 authors and a select bibliography of related criticism.
Critical survey
of long fiction, 2nd rev. ed. / Carl Rollyson, ed.,
English edition; English and foreign language series, Frank N. Magill.
(Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 2000), 8v., *R-NAL 00-11610
Provides biographical details, bibliographic records, and
critical overviews of major authors notable for their contributions to the
novel, novella, and related long forms. Includes references for additional
study. Vol. 8 contains thematic essays under the headings Long Fiction in
History, World Long Fiction, North American Long Fiction, and Genre Overviews.
Wheeler, Kathleen A
guide to twentieth-century women novelists (Oxford,
UK ; Cambridge, Mass. : Blackwell Publishers, 1997) *R-NAL
97-3439
Critical guide features an extensive bibliography of general
works and criticism, related anthologies, and secondary criticism on individual
novelists.
Genre Fiction
Burgess, Michael Reference
guide to science fiction, fantasy, and horror, 2nd
ed. (Westport Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, 2002). *RS-NAL 03-3829
Annotated listings of major and minor reference works in
the areas of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Titles are grouped by
general subject area. Each listing includes bibliographic data and a critical
summation of the noted work.
Critical survey
of mystery and detective fiction / Frank N. Magill,
ed. (Pasadena, Calif.: Salem Press, 1983), 4 v., *R-NAL 92-4023
Offers surveys of noteworthy authors, including a listing
of principal series, series characters, the author’s contribution to the
genre, biographical information, analysis of notable works, bibliographies
of works and additional resources.
Landrum, Larry N. American
mystery and detective novels: a reference guide American mystery and
detective novels : a reference guide (Westport, Conn.
; London : Greenwood Press, 1999) *R-NAL 99-7953
Thorough study includes historical development of the genre,
critical approaches, information on individual authors, and listings of other
reference works.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Reference Indexes:
Science fiction
and fantasy reference index ,
1878-1985 : an international author and subject index to history and
criticism / Hal W. Hall, ed. (Detroit, Mich.
: Gale Research Co., 1987), 2v. *RS-NAL 87-5122
Science fiction
and fantasy reference index, 1985-1991: an international author and
subject index to history and criticism / Hal.
W. Hall, ed. (Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1993) *RS-NAL
93-11061
Science fiction
and fantasy reference index, 1992-1995 : an international subject and
author index to history and criticism / Hal.
W. Hal. ed. (Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1997)
Comprehensive guides to the secondary literature dealing
with science fiction and fantasy literature. There is both an author index
and a subject index.
Survey of
modern fantasy literature / Frank N. Magill, ed. (Englewood
Cliffs: Salem Press, 1983), 5 v., *R-NAL 84-2363
Survey of
science fiction literature / Frank N. Magill, ed.
(Englewood Cliffs. N. J.: Salem Press, 1979), 5v., *R-NAL 82-893
These sets feature essay reviews of notable works and include
bibliographies of additional resources.
General Literary Criticism
ABES: Annotated Bibliography for English Studies [electronic
resource]
Covers four main subject areas: Literary Studies, Language
and Linguistics, Cultural Studies, and Film Studies. Since the goal of ABES
is to provide guidance on the best and most appropriate material available,
each book, journal article, or video citation includes a signed, critical
annotation assessing the value of the reference.
American literary
scholarship (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press,
1963- ) *RB-NBB
Selective, evaluative annual study of the year’s important
scholarship, each chapter devoted to author, period, or genre. Indexed by
subject and scholar. (Latest five years available in Rose Main Reading Room.
Earlier volumes 1963- in JFK 98-194) Note: 1998-present
are included in the full-text database, Project Muse,
on the Selected Electronic Resource menu.
Annual bibliography of English language and literature
[electronic resource]
Included in the Literature Online database,
from 1920 to the present. This source includes international coverage of
articles, books, pamphlets, reviews, and dissertations on English language
and literature written originally in English. Includes many works omitted
by the MLA and should be used in conjunction with that source. (In the print
version, the last five years are held in classmark *RS-NA 87.
Earlier volumes from 1920 are in JFK 98-196.)
Bracken, James K. Reference
works in British and American literature, 2nd ed.
(Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlkimited, 1998) *RS-NCB 98-12290
A valuable annotated resource for identifying bibliographies,
dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, indexes, concordances and occasionally
journals devoted to a broad range of British and American authors. Arrangement
is alphabetical by writer. Includes author, title, and subject Indexes.
Critical Bibliography series:
Critical bibliography
of American literature studies (Oxford, UK; Malden,
Mass: Published for the English Association by Blackwell, 1998), 4v., *RS-NA
98-10908
Critical bibliography
of twentieth-century literature studies (Oxford,
UK; Malden, Mass: Published for the English Association by Blackwell,
1998), 4v., *RS-NA 98-1097
Critical bibliography
of English language studies (Oxford, UK; Malden,
Mass: Published for the English Association by Blackwell, 1998), 3v., *RS-NCA
98-11901
Conveniently arranged surveys drawn from Year’s work
in English studies, each series providing coverage for a particular field
of study.
Dictionary
of literary biography (Detroit: Gale Research Co,
1978- ) *R-AB 79-1061
Individually edited volumes, usually centered on a particular
genre, type of writer, or literary period. Each essay contains biographical
information, brief synopses of work, and critical estimations. Lists primary
works and manuscript collections. Includes a selective list of other biographical
and critical sources. Some writers will appear in multiple volumes, and the
cumulative indexes should be consulted. Included in the New York Public Library’s
Select Electronic Resources menu as part of the Literature Resource
Center, the Dictionary of Literary Biography Online contains
more than 10,000 bio-critical essays on authors and their works.
Gale Literary Criticism Series:
Black literature
criticism / James P. Draper, ed. (Detroit: Gale Research
1992), 3v., *R-NA
Classical and
medieval literature criticism (Detroit: Gale Research
Co., 1988- ) *R-NRA 86-2117
Contemporary
literary criticism (Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1973-
) *R-NAD 74-319
Literature
criticism from 1400-1800 / Dennis Pupard, ed. (Detroit:
Gale Research Co., 1984- ) *R-NAD 90-12950
Nineteenth-century
literature criticism (Detroit: Gale Research Co.,
1981- ) *R-NAD 87-2337
Poetry criticism (Detroit:
Gale Research Co., 1991- ) *R-NAEC 91-344
Shakespearean
criticism (Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1984- ) *R-NCV
84-778
Short story
criticism (Detroit: Gale Reseach Co., 1988- ) *R-NA
90-73
Twentieth-century
literary criticism (Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1978-
) *R-NAD 78-762
All Gale series contain excerpts from reviews and essays.
Useful for a broad overview of critical responses. Contains cumulative indexes
to earlier volumes. In addition, full indexing of all the Gale Literature
Criticism series are available online as part of the Literature
Resource Center (see description under Electronic Resources).
Within the database, choosing Gale’s Literary Index allows searching
by author, title, a combination of the two, or a customized author search
by name, birth date, death date, or nationality. Selected entries on significant
authors are also included in this database.
Harner, James L. Literary
research guide, 4rd ed., (New York: Modern Language
Association of America, 2002) *RS-NCB 02-6708
Excellent basic reference describing abstracts, bibliographies,
indexes, databases, dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, and other sources
used to study English literature.
Internet
Sites [electronic resource]
See the New York Public Library’s “Best
of the Web” page for quality Literature Web sites selected and
maintained by librarians.
Literature Online
[electronic resource]
Searchable library of English and American poetry, prose,
and drama, plus biographies, bibliographies, and secondary sources. Of particular
interest as a starting point for literary research is the Annual
Bibliography of English Language and Literature, covering 1920
to the present. This source includes international coverage of articles,
books, pamphlets, reviews, and dissertations on English language and literature
written originally in English. Includes many works omitted by the MLA and
should be used in conjunction with that source. (In the print version, the
last five years are held in classmark *RS-NA 87. Earlier
volumes from 1920 are in JFK 98-196.)
Literature
Resource Center [electronic resource]
Three databases in one: Contemporary Authors
Online, offering biographical coverage of more than 1000
writers; Contemporary Literary Criticism Select,
featuring entries on all authors appearing in CLC since vol. 95 and selected
authors from previous volumes; and Dictionary of Literary
Biography Online, containing more than 10,000 bio-critical
essays on authors and their works. The Resource Center also features
selected full-text, excerpted, and commissioned critical material from
other Gale Literature Criticism series. This online resource can be accessed
from home using your New York Branch Library card.
MLA International Bibliography
[electronic resource]
An indispensable resource since its original 1921 publication.
Provides extensive international coverage of literary, linguistic, and folklore
scholarship. Online access covers 1963-present. Print equivalent from 1921,
with call number *RB-R.
Magill, Frank Northern Bibliography
of literary criticism (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Salem
Press, 1979), 4v., *RS-NA 80-3021
Provides critical sources for the study of more than 2,500
works of western authors. Arranged by author, with individual works alphabetically
under the author’s name.
Modern British
literature / Laurie Di Mauro, ed., 2nd. Ed. (Detroit:
Saint James Press, 2000), 3v., *R-NCB 00-7972
Contains critical excerpts on 500 authors, including full
source entries and author bibliographies.
New Cambridge
bibliography of English literature / George Watson,
ed. (Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1969-1977) 5v., *RB-NCB
73-1133
Extensive listings through approximately 1950 of works by
or about authors native to or resident in the British Isles. Each of the
first four volumes covers a different literary period and contains an index
of primary authors and major subjects. Cumulative index in volume five expands
the scope. An excellent resource, although some familiarity with contents
and arrangement is suggested for the most satisfactory results. Speak to
a librarian at the main information desk if assistance is required.
Walker, William S. Twentieth-century
short story explication: new series; with checklists of books and journals
used (Hamden, CT: Shoe String Press, 1993- ) *R-NAL
88-3727
Bibliography of articles, books, and monographs. Authors
listed alphabetically, then individual story titles arranged alphabetically
with critical works.
Year’s
work in English studies (London: Published for the
English Association by Blackwell Publishers, 1919/20-) *RS-NCA
This annual provides a good starting point for locating critical
work. Essays by authorities in a particular period or field summarize and
evaluate annual trends in scholarship and criticism. Items of interest can
then by traced and requested through the library’s catalog. Arrangement
is chronological. Indexed by critic, author, and subject. See also the three Critical
bibliography. . .series, which are drawn from this review.
Latest five years only available in the Rose Main Reading Room. Earlier volumes
1919/20- in JFL 98-309.
Poetry
Locating Poems
General Poetry Resources
Locating Poems
Columbia Granger's World of Poetry
[electronic resource]
Contains the full text of many classic poems, as well as
quotations and anthology citations. Many of the included poems contain commentaries,
bibliographies, and author biographies.
Poem Finder
[electronic resource]
Locates individual poems or the work of particular poets.
Currently offers 750,000 indexed poems and 70,000 full-text poems. Poem
Finder is international in scope and provides coverage of well-known
anthologized poems, in-depth coverage and complete works of many poets, and
the latest poetry in periodicals.
General Poetry Resources
Alexander, Harriet Semmes American
and British poetry: a guide to the criticism (Athens,
Ohio: Swallow Press, 1984) *RS-NAEC 84-3242
Covers 1925-1978. Alphabetical arrangements by poet; individual
poem title; authors of critical articles. Only poems of a thousand lines
or less have been included. Usually only criticism of the entire poem is
considered, except in a few significant cases where (P) following the citation
indicates only a partial explanation.
Companion to
twentieth-century poetry / Neil Roberts, ed. (Oxford;
Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, 2001). *R-NAE 01-12024
Substantive essays on various topics, movements, and poets
in the area of twentieth-century poetry. Each essay contains a useful, select
bibliography.
Gingerich, Martin E. Contemporary
poetry in America and England, 1950-1975: a guide to information sources (Detroit:
Gale Research Co., 1983) *R-NCB 01-1221
Highly selective, annotated bibliography of English-language
studies. Divided into eight sections: bibliographies and reference works,
contemporary culture and sociology, aesthetics and poetic theory, general
studies of poetry and poets, general studies of American poets and literature,
general studies of British poets and literature, studies of two or more poets,
and listings for individual poets (roughly two-thirds are American).
Encyclopedia
of American poetry: the nineteenth century / Haralson,
Eric L. (Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1998). *R-NBH 04-291
Encyclopedia
of American poetry: the twentieth century / Haralson,
Eric L. (Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2001). *R-NBH 02-4753
Both volumes include biographical entries on individual poets,
with a critical treatment of their poetic achievements; entries on particular
landmark poems; entries on major poetry topics offering in-depth analysis.
Guide to American
poetry explication (Boston, Mass.: G. K. Hall, 1989),
2v., *RS-NBH 01-1222
Vol. 1 Colonial and Nineteenth Century; Vol. 2 Modern and
Contemporary. Set lists extensive bibliographic sources, including articles,
books, and interviews covering a single poet. Poets are listed alphabetically
by last name; under author headings are lists of particular works; and under
poem titles, article citations are arranged by the critics' last names. Coverage
is through 1987.
Martinez, Nancy C. Guide
to British poetry explication (Boston: G. K. Hall,
1991-1995), 4v., *RS-NCI 91-5938
Vol. 1 Old English – Medieval; Vol. 2 Renaissance;
Vol. 3 Restoration – Romantic; Vol. 4 Victorian - Contemporary. The
arrangement of this work is similar to the Guide to American
poetry explication. Coverage extends through 1992.
New Cambridge
bibliography of English literature / George Watson,
ed. (Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1969-1977) 5v., *RB-NCB
73-1133
Provides the best single list of modern poetry studies through
approximately 1950. Each volume represents a different literary period; each
period is then divided into categories such as poetry, the novel, drama,
prose, etc. The poetry section is further split into general works and individual
poets, and both parts are then more extensively subdivided into bibliographies,
primary works, secondary materials, etc. Consult the index volume (vol. 5)
for the most complete coverage. The work can be supplemented by Guide
to British poetry explication, vol. 4, and Contemporary
poetry in England and America, 1950-1975.
Poetry criticism (Detroit:
Gale Research Co., 1991- ) *R-NAEC 91-344
Contains extracts from selected critical articles. Indexing
available through the cumulative index in the latest volume of Contemporary
literary criticism (*R-NAD 74-319), or the Contemporary
authors (*RR-AB) cumulative index.
