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Finding Literary Criticism Tutorial: V. Finding Author Information

Background

Some authors will have entire books, databases, or websites about them.  How is this information useful for Literary Criticism?Quill Pen and Squiggle

  • Biographical information about an author can help set a literary work in context
  • Information such as the author’s time period, geographic location, ethnicity, and gender can help you locate additional resources

 

Author eBook Series

These are just a few examples of the novelists, dramatists, poets, and short story writers in the "Bloom's Major..." eBook series.  Click on any title below to read instantly on your computer, or check the catalog for more selections.  Hint:  Search for the keyword "Bloom" along with your author's last name, then limit the Item Type to "Electronic Book."

Database Collections

Within the library databases are specialized tools for finding author information:

  • Bloom's Literature Author Index gathers reference sources, criticism, literary works, images, and videos on the most frequently studied writers.
     
  • Publishers Weekly Author Profiles in Bloom's Literature contains links to interviews and profiles on over 4,000 authors from 1989 to the present in article and podcast formats.
     
  • Bloom's Literature "How to Write About..." guides offer suggestions on essay topics such as theme, character, form, imagery, and symbolism for over 50 authors and their works.
     
  • Gale Literature Criticism Author Index arranges resources by criticism, biography, topic & work overviews, and reviews & news.
     
  • Gale Literature Person Search allows you to search for authors based on parameters such as gender, ethnicity, or date of birth without needing a name.