Reference Resources In Print:

Biography and Literary Criticism

I. Biographical Sources

Contemporary Authors.                                                                       Ref. Z 1224 .C6

            Also includes some 19th century authors. 

            A cumulative index also available at Z 1224 .C7

            Dictionary of Literary Biography.                                                   Ref. PN 451 .D42

Each volume is devoted to a different group of authors or time period. Most volumes include a cumulative index to the entire set.  Use the index to determine in which volume information on your particular author appears.

For a biography of your author, do a subject search on CUNY+ (DPAC) under the author's name (last name first):

            Example: s=Hughes langston

In some cases there may be a subheading for "biography."

            Example: s=baldwin james—biography

II. Literary Criticism

The following series contain excerpts of criticism from a variety of sources. Most of the series have cumulative indexes. If you are not sure which series to use, consult the one cumulative index for all of these series located at: Ref. Z 1224 .C7.

Contemporary Literary Criticism.                                                   Ref. PN 771 .C59

Literature Criticism from 1400-1800.                                                Ref. PN 86 .L53

Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism.                                            Ref. PN 761 .N5

Twentieth Century Literary Criticism.                                           Ref. PN 771 .G27

World Literature Criticism.                                                     Ref. PN 523 .W67 1992

III. Drama, Poetry & Short Story Criticism

Drama Criticism                                                                                Ref. PN 1601 .D59

Poetry Criticism.                                                                             Ref. PN 1010 .P499

Short Story Criticism.                                                                    Ref. PN 3372 .S386

IV. Latino Literature

Latin-American Writers.                                                   Ref. PQ 7081 .A1 L37 1989

Modern Latin Literature.                                                        Ref. PQ 7081 .F63 1975

Spanish-American Authors.                                             Ref. PQ 7081.3 .F57 1992

V. African American Literature

African American Writers.                                               Ref. PS 153 .N5 A344 1991

Black Literature Criticism.                                                        Ref. PS 153 .N5 B556

Masterpieces of African-American Literature.                           Ref. 153 .N5 M264

VI. Women Authors

American Women Writers.                                                                  Ref. PS 147 .A4

Modern Women Writers.                                                         Ref. PS 151 .M54 1991

VII. Using CUNY+ to find Literary Criticism

For books which analyze an author's works, do a subject search on CUNY+ (DPAC) under the author's name (last name first), and select the entries with the subheading "criticism and interpretation." Also, at the end of the list of subheadings, you will find entries for books that discuss specific works.

Search: s=eliot george        and you will see:

                        eliot george 1819-1880 -- criticism and interpretation

   and:

                        eliot george 1819-1880.   Middlemarch.

                        eliot george 1819-1880.   Mill on the Floss.