American Author Criticism Available at PHS
Remember to search the library catalog for individual books of criticism.
Novels
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for Students
Novelists
Detailed biography of each author, including pictures
Writers from 1843-1993
12 authors per volume
Introduction to novel, plot summary, character analysis, themes, style, historical context, critical overview,
criticism, media adaptations, compare and contrast, what to read next
Copyright 2001 -2008
Author/title and subject/theme index
Table of contents list titles of books covered
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Great American Writers: Twentieth Century
 Novelists, short story writers, poets, playwrights
 Short biography of author
 Highlights of author’s life – timeline
 In depth analysis of author’s major works
 Timeline of works by author
 Copyright 2002
Modern American Women Writers
 Women novelists
 Short biography of author
 Analyzes a variety of author’s works
 Copyright 1991
Magill’s Survey of American Literature
 Novelists, short story writers, poets, playwrights
 Contemporary writers
 Detailed biography of each author
 Covers 35-40 authors per volume
 Three criticisms per author
 Copyright 1991
 Title, author, and geographical index
American/British Writers
 Novelists, short story writers, poets, playwrights
 Detailed biography of each contemporary author, careers still evolving
 Each article includes an account of writer’s works, life, and connections historically
 Copyright 1979-1999
 Master index of authors and titles
 Authors listed on outside of each volume
Masterplots II
 198 novelists, short story writers, poets, playwrights
 Organized alphabetically by title of work
 Lists: author, plot type, plot time, setting, first published, principle characters
 Criticism includes: summary, characters, themes and meanings, critical context
 Copyright 1986
World Literature Criticism
 Novelists, short story writers, poets, playwrights
 Detailed biography of each author, including picture
 Writers from the past 500 years (1500-present)
 Approximately 40 authors per volume
 List of works, excerpts of criticism from early criticism and later criticism (criticism could change over time), and
media adaptations of author’s works
 Copyright 1992
 Author and title index
 Table of contents with authors listed from each volume
Magill’s Survey of World Literature
 Novelists, short story writers, poets, playwrights
 Contemporary writers
 Detailed biography of each author
 Covers 35-40 authors per volume
 Three criticisms per author
 Copyright 1995
 Title, author, and geographical index
Magill’s 1,300 Critical Evaluations of Selected Novels and Plays
 Novelists and playwrights
 Covers hundreds of titles
 One criticism per piece
 Copyright 1978
 Author and title index
Magill’s Critical Survey of Long Fiction
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Novelists, playwrights
Detailed biography of each author
Each article includes an account of writer’s works, life, and analysis of works
Copyright 1984
Master index of authors and titles
Contemporary Literary Criticism
 Novelists, short story writers, poets, playwrights
 Short biography of author
 Writers who are now living or died since Jan. 1, 1960
 150 authors, 5 excerpts for each author
 Contemporary criticism – written in past 25 years
 Copyright 1980
 Author and critic index
 Table of contents with authors listed
Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism
 Novelists, short story writers, poets, playwrights
 Detailed biography of each author, including picture
 Writers who died during 1900 and 1960
 Covers a variety of genre and nationalities
 14-16 authors per volume
 List of works, excerpts of criticism from early criticism and later criticism (criticism could change over time)
 Copyright 1980
 Author and title index
Online Criticism Sources:
The PHS library web page contains online databases, which contain magazine and newspaper articles and reference
materials. These are reliable and credible sources to use for research.
Library Website
http://staff.portlandschools.org/nicks/Ms._Nick/Welcome.html
MARVEL(EBSCO):
Click on MARVEL
Click on the Literature
Click on any of the Literature databases
5) About: Academic Search Premier
6) About: Britannica Online 2006
About: Contemporary Authors
2) About: Contemporary Literary Criticism Select
About: Dictionary of Literary Biography
1) About: Literature Resource Center
3) About: Scribner Writers
4) About: Twayne's Author Series
Home Access:
You must register by completing the information requested for a remote user.
INFOTRAC:
Click on Infotrac
Click on Student Resource Center Junior
Basic search for critical essays in magazines and newspapers.
Home Access:
Password: bambi
Biographical Sources:
Literary Timelines
This series gives basic information from the author’s life, but also shows a connection to the world as well.
Picture included.
Encyclopedia of World Literature in the Twentieth Century
This series gives basic information from the author’s life in paragraph format.
Contemporary Authors
This series gives basic information from the author’s life in a listing format. Very easy to use.