Trexler Library Study Guide
BIO-BIBLIOGRAPHICAL
AND BIO-CRITICAL RESOURCES
BIO-BIBLIOGRAPHICAL RESOURCES
Bio-bibliographies are collections of essays
which provide introductions to the lives and careers
of significant writers, list their writings, and, in some
instances, also include critical analyses of their
works.
Excellent biographical sketches of well-known
authors can be found in the Dictionary of National
Biography (REF DA 28 .D56), for British authors,
and the Dictionary of American Biography (REF E
176 .D562). These works are limited to authors no
longer living.
Scribner Series
The bio-bibliographical essays in this series
provide some of the best introductions to significant
authors of all periods. Each essay presents both
biographical information and critical evaluations of
the author and the author’s works. An extensive
bibliography of works both by and about the author is
included. Supplements contain essays on newer
authors as well as older authors not appearing in the
original set.
American Writers
British Writers
European Writers
REF PS 129 .A55
REF PR 85 .B688
REF PN 450 .E9
The Wilson Series
The Wilson Series forms one of the most
comprehensive collections of biographical sketches of
writers. For each author it provides a portrait,
pronunciation of the author’s name, and a one to two
page biographical sketch (including some critical
evaluation) of the author’s career and works. Each
volume deals with a particular country and time
period.
American Authors 1600-1900
REF PS 21 .K8
British Authors Before 1800
REF PR 105 .K9
Critical Survey of Poetry. Foreign Language
Series REF PN 41 .C7
Critical Survey of Long Fiction. English
Language Series REF PR.821.C7
Critical Survey of Drama. English Language
Series REF PR 625 .C74
Critical Survey of Drama. Foreign Language
Series REF PN 1625 .C74
Additional bio-bibliographies
British Authors of the 19th Century
REF PR 451 .K8
European Authors 1000-1900
REF PN 450 .K8
Twentieth Century Authors
World Authors - 1950-1970
World Authors - 1970-1975
World Authors - 1975-1980
World Authors - 1980-1985
Critical Survey of Poetry. English Language
Series REF PR 502 .C85
REF PN 451 .W3
REF PN 451 .W3
REF PN 451 .W67
REF PN 451 .W672
REF PN 451 .W672
Magill Series
Each set in this series is devoted to a particular
genre. Entries consist of a critical overview of a
writer’s principal works and technical achievements,
a biography, and a brief list of critical studies.
Covers both foreign and American writers of all
periods. The last volume in each set contains longer
essays dealing with various aspects of a particular
genre such as its history and development, as well as
essays on the poetry, fiction, or drama, of particular
countries and periods.
Modern American Women Writers
REF PS 151 .M54
Similar to American Writers (Scribner Series)
in arrangement. Provides “essays on representative
women writers who have published in the United
States since the 1870’s, “ a number of whom are still
active today. This work is complemented by the
following:
American Women Writers
REF PS 147 .A4
Contains essays (mostly biographical, but with some
critical comment) on famous and not so famous
women writers from all periods of American history,
including many who are currently publishing.
Contemporary Authors
Although, in some instances, this work provides
only brief biographical information on the writers it
treats, its scope is broad, including both United States
and foreign authors. In addition to literary writers, it
also covers journalists, scriptwriters, and general nonfiction writers from such fields as science,
philosophy, education, and politics. A good source
for information about new and/or little known authors
and what they wrote. New volumes are regularly
added to the set, keeping the information on all
authors current. Consult the index volume to find a
particular author.
BIO-CRITICAL RESOURCES
Works of bio-criticism provide brief biographical
information on the lives of individual authors together
with excerpts from books and periodicals which offer
critical analyses of both an author's career and his/her
individual writings.
These excerpts are accompanied by exact
references to sources, which makes works of biocriticism serve as annotated indexes to literary
criticism. Another valuable feature of these works is
that they often contain criticism taken from
publications not found in our library, nor readily
available from nearby libraries.
Library of Literary Criticism Series
Library of Literary Criticism
REF PR 83 .M73
Covers English and American literature from 680
to 1904. Presents excerpts from critical appraisals
published in books and periodicals through 1904. In
addition to criticism of individual works there is also
general criticism on each author’s career as well as
quotes from personal observations on the author's
lives. An index of authors is in volume 8.
The Critical Temper
REF PR 83 .C764
Supplements the above work by providing
excerpts from critical studies published up to 1987 on
major 19th century British and American
authors. Note that volumes 4 and 5 are supplements
and should be consulted in conjunction with the basic
three volumes.
The Gale Information Library Guide Series
The books in this series both complement and
supplement the Library of Literary Criticism,
covering American, British, and Continental authors
who lived in the 19th or 20th centuries. For each
author treated, it presents a comprehensive survey of
his/her career, a list of works, plus excerpts (usually
well-chosen) from critical works, which provide
comment on the author's career and writings. The
excerpts are taken from 19th and 20th century
publications. The number of excerpts for each author
is usually quite extensive and, since they are arranged
in chronological order, it enables one to trace the
high points and low points in writers’ careers, their
popularity, and their favor or disfavor among the
critics. Another strength of this series is that it
presents criticism of lesser known writers - criticism
not easy to locate. There is a separately published
index which covers all volumes in the series.
To view a specifice volume, type in the title,
The Gale Information Guide Library which will
bring up the entries for this series.
Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism
REF PN 761 .N5
Every fourth volume is devoted to literary topics
such as literary movements, literatures of foreign
cultures, and literary reactions to political-historical
events.
Twentieth Century Literary Criticism
REF PN 771 .G27
Limited to authors who died between 1900 to
1960. Like the above work, every fourth volume is
devoted to literary topics.
Contemporary Literary Criticism
REF PN 771 .C59
Treats authors who are still writing and
publishing today, and also those who have died since
1960, the cut-off date for Twentieth Century Literary
Criticism. Contains no bibliographies, for which the
reader must consult Contemporary Authors.
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