This guide is intended to provide a starting point for research in English, as well as literary sources and ebooks. Some related guides are listed below:
A selection of recently acquired books pertaining to the English department and its research interests
The Arab of the Future by 
Bookish Histories: books, literature, and commercial modernity, 1700-1900 by
This ground-breaking collection of essays presents a new 'bookish' literary history, which situates questions about books at the intersection of a range of debates about the role of authors and readers, the organization of knowledge, the vogue for collecting, and the impact of overlapping technologies of writing and shifting generic boundaries.
Consuming Texts: readers and reading communities, 1695-1870 by
This volume explores the history of reading in the British Isles during a period in which the printed word became all pervasive. From wealthy readers of 'amatory fiction', through to men and women reading surreptitiously at the Victorian railway bookstall, it argues that a variety of new reading communities emerged during this period.
The Factory Girl and the Seamstress: imagining gender and class in nineteenth century American fiction by
Inventing the "mill girl" -- Woman of industry : the seamstress in antebellum America -- Nathaniel Hawthorne's uses of the seamstress -- Domesticating women : the seamstress, the factory girl, and the nineteenth-century woman author.
Blasian Invasion: acial mixing in the celebrity industrial complex by
Myra S. Washington probes the social construction of race through the mixed-race identity of Blasians, people of Black and Asian ancestry. She looks at the construction of the identifier Blasian and how this term went from being undefined to forming a significant role in popular media. Today Blasian has emerged as not just an identity Black/Asian mixed-race people can claim, but also a popular brand within the industry and a signifier in the culture at large. Washington tracks the transformation of Blasian from being an unmentioned category to a recognized status applied to other Blasian figures in media. Blasians have been neglected as a meaningful category of people in research, despite an extensive history of Black and Asian interactions within the United States and abroad. Washington explains that even though Americans have mixed in every way possible, racial mixing is framed in certain ways, which almost always seem to involve Whiteness. Unsurprisingly, media discourses about Blasians mostly conform to usual scripts already created, reproduced, and familiar to audiences about monoracial Blacks and Asians. In the first book on this subject, Washington regards Blasians as belonging to more than one community, given their multiple histories and experiences. Moving beyond dominant rhetoric, she does not harp on defining or categorizing mixed race, but instead recognizes the multiplicities of Blasians and the process by which they obtain meaning. Washington uses celebrities, including Kimora Lee, Dwayne Johnson, Hines Ward, and Tiger Woods, to highlight how they challenge and destabilize current racial debate, create spaces for themselves, and change the narratives that frame multiracial people. Finally, Washington asserts Blasians as evidence not only for the fluidity of identities, but also for the limitations of reductive racial binaries.
Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio by
From Derf Backderf, the bestselling author of My Friend Dahmer, comes the Eisner and ALA/YALSA Alex Award-winning tragic and unforgettable story of the Kent State shootings, told in graphic novel form. Named a Best Book of the Year by New York Times, Forbes, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and NPR, Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio is a moving and troubling story about the bitter price of dissent--as relevant today as it was in 1970. On May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard gunned down unarmed college students protesting the Vietnam War at Kent State University. In a deadly barrage of 67 shots, four students were killed and nine shot and wounded. It was the day America turned guns on its own children--a shocking event burned into our national memory. The fatal shootings triggered immediate and massive outrage on campuses around the country. More than four million students participated in organized walkouts at hundreds of universities, colleges, and high schools, the largest student strike in the history of the United States at that time. It was a day that shocked the nation and helped turn the tide of public opinion against America's war in Vietnam. A few days prior, 10-year-old Derf Backderf saw those same guardsmen patrolling his nearby hometown, sent in by the governor to crush a trucker strike. Using the journalism skills he employed on My Friend Dahmer and Trashed, Backderf has conducted extensive interviews and research to explore the lives of these four young people and the events of those four days in May, when the country seemed on the brink of tearing apart. In this award-winning and powerful graphic novel, Derf Backderf takes us back to the age of the Vietnam War, Richard Nixon, Woodstock, and the Cold War and explores, in words and images, a scene of tragedy: the campus of Kent State University, where National Guard Troops attacked unarmed protestors and killed four students (Allison Beth Krause, age 19, Jeffrey Glenn Miller, age 20, Sandra Lee Scheuer, age 20, and William Knox Schroeder, age 19).
Keywords for Comics Studies by
Introduces key terms, research traditions, debates, and histories, and offers a sense of the new frontiers emerging in the field of comics studies Across more than fifty original essays, Keywords for Comics Studies provides a rich, interdisciplinary vocabulary for comics and sequential art. The essays also identify new avenues of research into one of the most popular and diverse visual media of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Keywords for Comics Studies presents an array of inventive analyses of terms central to the study of comics and sequential art that are traditionally siloed in distinct lexicons: these include creative and aesthetic terms like Ink, Creator, Border, and Panel; conceptual terms such as Trans*, Disability, Universe, and Fantasy; genre terms like Zine, Pornography, Superhero, and Manga; and canonical terms like X-Men, Archie, Watchmen, and Love and Rockets. This volume ties each specific comic studies keyword to the larger context of the term within the humanities. Essays demonstrate how scholars, cultural critics, and comics artists from a range of fields take up sequential art as both an object of analysis and a medium for developing new theories about embodiment, identity, literacy, audience reception, genre, cultural politics, and more. Keywords for Comics Studies revivifies the fantasy and magic of reading comics in its kaleidoscopic view of the field's most compelling and imaginative ideas.
Clandestine Erotic Fiction in English 1800-1930 by
This work offers bibliographical descriptions of all printings of erotic fiction in English issued clandestinely during the period 1800-1930. By 'clandestine' is meant books whose publishers and printers attempt to hide their identities, usually by offering title pages whose misleading places and dates of publication may shock and amuse, but which always aim to mystify. Using internal and external evidence, an attempt is made to establish who were the printers, booksellers and publishers, English and Continental, involved in this trade. The printing families or 'groups' into which a large percentage of the material falls are classified, accompanied by illustrations which identify the main printing characteristics ('house styles') of the groups. Bibliographical descriptions follow a checklist of clandestine catalogues; these provide valuable evidence for dating, pricing and 'sales pitch' and information on items of which no copies can now be traced. The work concludes with a series of appendices which provide significant external evidence, and three indexes: of themes, titles and names. Peter Mendes' original research builds on and significantly extends the essential pioneer work of the Victorian collector and bibliographer H.S. Ashbee ('Pisanus Fraxi').
The sources below either cover many different subjects, literature being one, or are not limited to a particular genre or time period.
Famed Encyclopedia Brittanica, covering all topics, with enhanced features.
A guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words - past and present - from across the English-speaking world.
Over 100 language and subject dictionaries and reference works.
Gateway to Black Studies including scholarly essays, recent periodicals, historical newspaper articles, reference books, and much more. It includes The Schomburg Studies on the Black Experience, Index to Black Periodicals Full Text, Black Literature Index, etc.
These are a selection of more specific background sources. If you do not see a background source on your topic, contact a librarian.
The Cambridge Companion to Literature and the Environment by
The Cambridge Companion to Literature and the Environment is an authoritative guide to the exciting new interdisciplinary field of environmental literary criticism. The collection traces the development of ecocriticism from its origins in European pastoral literature and offers fifteen rigorous but accessible essays on the present state of environmental literary scholarship. Contributions from leading experts in the field probe a range of issues, including the place of the human within nature, ecofeminism and gender, engagements with European philosophy and the biological sciences, critical animal studies, postcolonialism, posthumanism, and climate change. A chronology of key publications and bibliography provide ample resources for further reading, making The Cambridge Companion to Literature and the Environment an essential guide for students, teachers, and scholars working in this rapidly developing area of study.
The Oxford Companion to the Book by
The Oxford Companion to the Book is a unique work of reference, covering the book (broadly conceived) throughout the world from ancient to modern times. It includes traditional subjects such as bibliography, palaeography, the history or printing, editorial theory and practice, textual criticism, book collecting, and libraries, but it also engages with newer disciplines such as the history of the book and the electronic book. It pays particular attention to how different societies shape books and how books shape societies.The two-volume work is organized in two parts, totalling a million words. Part I is a substantial series of introductory essays, making up about a third of the text. Nineteen of the essays provide generic histories of the subject ranging from writing systems, the ancient and the medieval book, through central aspects of book production, to theories of text, editorial theory and textual criticism, the economics of print, and the sacred book. These are complemented by 29 surveys of the history of the book around the world, including the Muslim world, Asia, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Part II of the Companion comprises an A-Z section of over 5,000 entries on every aspect of this exceptionally rich and diverse subject, ranging from brief definitions and biographical entries to more extensive treatments of up to 2,000 words. The two parts are linked by thorough cross-referencing (both between and within the volumes) and the whole is also served by a general index and a classified index of entries. Both parts of the text are illustrated with reproductions, diagrams, and maps, and examples of various typographical features. The contents of the book have been planned around the following scheme which aptly illustrates the breadth and depth of this most interdisciplinary of subjects:* book genres of every kind including dictionaries, government documents, and music* all aspects of the physical book, and a generous coverage of individual bookbinders, paper-makers, typographers, type-founders, and designers * authorship, including issues of attribution, authors' societies and communities, forgeries and hoaxes* the entire reproduction process over the centuries (in both Asia and the West), not forgetting individual engravers, illuminators, and illustrators* printers and publishers around the world, plus book-trade organizations, and patronage* intellectual property issues * distribution and sales, comprising international coverage of booksellers, as well as book clubs, auction houses, and advertising * preservation, covering not only libraries and library systems but also individual collectors, librarians, and professional associations * suppression of the book, including censorship and stamp acts, and issues surrounding blasphemy and pornography * scholarship, covering bibliography, editions, and scholarly centres and organizations, as well as numerous individual scholars in all parts of the world * aspects of reading and reception, including book organizations and literary prizes* a broad range of periodicals encompassing literary, professional and trade, and scholarly and bibliophile interests * named manuscripts, scripts, and individual scribes and calligraphers * individual books as exemplars of book historyThe Companion is intended to be a highly informative and genuinely useful work of reference and the only book of this kind in the field. It is intended for an international readership and has been written by an international team of scholars. As appropriate to its subject matter, the finished book is designed to be both exceptionally practical and aesthetically pleasing to own.
The Routledge Companion to Literature and Economics by
The study of literature and economics is by no means a new one, but since the financial crash of 2008, the field has grown considerably with a broad range of both fiction and criticism. The Routledge Companion to Literature and Economics is the first authoritative guide tying together the seemingly disparate areas of literature and economics. Drawing together 38 critics, the Companion offers both an introduction and a springboard to this sometimes complex but highly relevant field. With sections on "Critical traditions," "Histories," "Principles," and "Contemporary culture," the book looks at examples from Medieval and Renaissance literature through to poetry of the Great Depression and novels depicting the 2008 financial crisis. Covering topics from Austen to austerity, Marxism to modernism, the collated essays offer indispensable analysis of the relationship between literary studies and the economy. Representing a wide spectrum of approaches, this book introduces the basics of economics, while engaging with essential theory and debate. As the reality of economic hardship and disparity is widely acknowledged and spreads across disciplines, this Companion offers students and scholars a chance to enter this crucially important interdisciplinary area.
The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Literary Theory by
Feminism has dramatically influenced the way literary texts are read, taught and evaluated. Feminist literary theory has deliberately transgressed traditional boundaries between literature, philosophy and the social sciences in order to understand how gender has been constructed and represented through language. This lively and thought-provoking Companion presents a range of approaches to the field. Some of the essays demonstrate feminist critical principles at work in analysing texts, while others take a step back to trace the development of a particular feminist literary method. The essays draw on a range of primary material from the medieval period to postmodernism and from several countries, disciplines and genres. Each essay suggests further reading to explore this field further. This is the most accessible guide available both for students of literature new to this developing field, and for students of gender studies and readers interested in the interactions of feminism, literary criticism and literature.
Modern South Asian Literature in English by
A recent surge of interest in South Asian culture has met with a wealth of outstanding novels by Indian, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan authors. Increasing numbers of readers are aware of and drawn to such writers as Salman Rushdie, Bharati Mukherjee, and Arundati Roy, who regularly appear bestseller lists, win prestigious fiction awards, and are added to suggested classroom readings. This book is an ideal introduction for the student, educator, or general interested reader wishing to explore and appreciate the rich and varied worlds of South Asian literature for the first time. Each of the book's 15 chapters introduces readers to a significant Indian, Pakistani, or Sri Lankan writer. A brief biographical background focuses on the elements most relevant to the understanding of his or her fiction. A concise overview of the author's major works is provided, while the bulk of the chapter is devoted to the explication of a single work. Critical perspectives are offered, as well as background information enabling readers to view each work as window to South Asian culture. The works are presented in chronological order, beginning with Tagore's 1915 masterpiece Quartet and concluding with the recent bestseller The Death of Vishnu (2001) by Manil Suri. While each chapter can be enjoyed on its own, the volume is structured to trace the development of post-colonial fiction, situating the works against the historical and cultural elements that shape them. Works were selected for being the most representative of each author's output, or to present the works that are most likely to be interesting and accessible to the uninitiated reader. For this reason, short stories by Rushdie and Anita Desai are discussed instead of than their more famous novels. This book presents a balance between historical and modern settings, divergent religious and political perspectives, a broad selection of authors and settings of geographic diversity, and a wide range of literary techniques. Readers of many backgrounds will enjoy reading about these authors, their works, and the cultural elements that make these works so fascinating. A glossary of foreign terms and further suggested readings complete the book.
Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE) by
DARE does not include words that are commonly used throughout the United States, but rather focuses on the regional aspects of our language, documenting words, phrases, and pronunciations that vary from one place to another. It includes audio clips and quotations from the DARE Survey conducted 1965-1970, and an interactive map in addition to the maps that were included in the print version.
The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics by
The most important poetry reference for more than four decades--now fully updated for the twenty-first century Through three editions over more than four decades, The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics has built an unrivaled reputation as the most comprehensive and authoritative reference for students, scholars, and poets on all aspects of its subject: history, movements, genres, prosody, rhetorical devices, critical terms, and more. Now this landmark work has been thoroughly revised and updated for the twenty-first century. Compiled by an entirely new team of editors, the fourth edition--the first new edition in almost twenty years--reflects recent changes in literary and cultural studies, providing up-to-date coverage and giving greater attention to the international aspects of poetry, all while preserving the best of the previous volumes. At well over a million words and more than 1,000 entries, the Encyclopedia has unparalleled breadth and depth. Entries range in length from brief paragraphs to major essays of 15,000 words, offering a more thorough treatment--including expert synthesis and indispensable bibliographies--than conventional handbooks or dictionaries. This is a book that no reader or writer of poetry will want to be without. Thoroughly revised and updated by a new editorial team for twenty-first-century students, scholars, and poets More than 250 new entries cover recent terms, movements, and related topics Broader international coverage includes articles on the poetries of more than 110 nations, regions, and languages Expanded coverage of poetries of the non-Western and developing worlds Updated bibliographies and cross-references New, easier-to-use page design Fully indexed for the first time
