Henry Buhl Library: American Literature: Dictionaries &amp; Encyclopedias

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Encyclopedia of American Literature
Call Number: Ref PS 21 .E537 2003 v. 1-4
This four-volume set covers American literature, from the European discovery of America to the present, with entries in alphabetical order. It includes 350 substantive critical and interpretive essays on the most-studied American authors, literary masterworks, and genres or movements.
Critical Survey of American Literature
Call Number: Ref PS 21 .M34 2017 v. 1-6
Profiles of American authors throughout history, representing a variety of time periods, genres, and cultures. This title is an updated edition of Magill's Survey of American Literature (1991).
American Poets and Poetry: From the Colonial Era to the Present
This encyclopedia covers U.S. poetry from the Colonial era to the present, and includes entries on hundreds of poets of the American canon.
The Oxford Companion to African American Literature
Call Number: PS 153.B53 O96 1997
Includes entries on 150 major works of African American literature, on literary characters, on character types, and on icons of black culture.

Oxford Reference Online Database -- Literature
Access to a collection of online dictionaries and encyclopedias related to literature.

Critical Survey of Short Fiction
Call Number: Ref PN 3321 .C7 2012 v. 1-6
Profiles of major short-story writers throughout history and the world, including American, British, European, and World Authors volumes.
Critical Survey of World Literature
Call Number: Ref PN 523 .M29 2018 v. 1-6
A unique combination of biography and critical analysis, covering major writers from around the world and their significant works in fiction, drama, poetry, and nonfiction.
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Fiction by Nancy M. Tischler
Call Number: Ref PS 374 .C48 T57 2009
Learn about the personal, professional, and religious background; works; themes; and criticism of today's best known Christian fiction writers, including C. S. Lewis, Wendell Berry, Flannery O'Connor, Janette Oke, Tracie Peterson, Anne Rice, and many others.

Bibliographies of works by and about each author are included.
Encyclopedia of the Novel
Call Number: Ref PN 41 .E487 1998 v. 1-2
Articles in this encyclopedia cover authors, novels, and literatures of countries around the world.
The Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century Fiction by Brian W. Shaffer (General Editor)
This Encyclopedia offers an indispensable reference guide to twentieth-century fiction in the English-language. With nearly 500 contributors and over one million words, it is the most comprehensive and authoritative reference guide to twentieth-century fiction in the English language.

Cyclopedia of Literary Characters
Call Number: Ref PN 44 .M3 2015 v. 1-5
Find information about literary characters from ancient times through the present, including both classic and popular literature. Character information is listed by the title of the work.
A Dictionary of Literary Symbols
Call Number: Ref PN 56 .S9 F47 2017
This dictionary explains and illustrates the literary symbols that we frequently encounter (such as swan, rose, moon, gold) and gives thousands of cross-references and quotations. It concentrates on English literature, but its entries range widely from the Bible and classical authors to the twentieth century, taking in American and European literatures.

Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
Considered the authority on the English language, offers meaning, history, and pronunciation on over 500,000 English words and phrases.

Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus
Call Number: Ref PE 1591 .L625 2012
The perfect tool for finding the perfect word, the Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus is an invaluable source of inspiration as well as an authoritative guide to selecting and using vocabulary. Packed with information, this essential guide for writers includes more than 300,000 synonyms and 10,000 antonyms, with real-life example sentences to help you pick the correct word.