LibGuides: English Literature: Books

E-Book Collections

Here are some e-book collections with a sizeable collection in English Literature. Some of these contain the actual literary text in addition to academic essays.

Cambridge Core This link opens in a new window Full-text of journal articles and books from Cambridge University Press. → Concurrent users: Unlimited → Available to current NTU staff and students | Restricted onsite access for NIE staff & students, associate members -- please approach the staff at the Lee Wee Nam Library service desk for assistance
Oxford Scholarship Online This link opens in a new window E-book platform providing access to thousands of books published by Oxford University Press (OUP). Includes subjects across the humanities, social sciences, sciences, medicine, and law. → Concurrent users: Unlimited → Available to current NTU staff and students | Restricted onsite access for NIE staff & students, associate members -- please approach the staff at the Lee Wee Nam Library service desk for assistance.
Early English Books Online (EEBO) This link opens in a new window Early English Books Online (EEBO) features page images of almost every work printed in the British Isles and North America, as well as works in English printed elsewhere from 1470-1700. Over 200 libraries worldwide have contributed to EEBO. From the first book printed in English through to the ages of Spenser, Shakespeare and of the English Civil War, EEBO's content draws on authoritative and respected short-title catalogues of the period and features a substantial number of text transcriptions specially created for the product. → Concurrent users: Unlimited → Available to current NTU staff and students | Restricted onsite access for NIE staff & students, associate members -- please approach the staff at the Lee Wee Nam Library service desk for assistance

Handbooks

What are "Handbooks"?

Handbooks are, as the name suggests, books that are handy, or fit in a pocket. This is applied metaphorically to these books listed below: These are books that summarise or provide a macro view of a specific topic, author, or even a specific work of literature. They often contain introductions and summaries to quickly bring a reader up to speed on the basic concepts or theories surrounding the subject, and depending on the book, may also have a secondary function to list the latest or most relevant academic developments surrounding this topic.

In short, they are very useful to you! Do explore the list below - they will prove invaluable for your years here at NTU.

Cambridge Companion Books
The Cambridge Companion books are a great series of academic guides created by an authoritative publisher. It is known for its coverage of the humanities and social sciences. Some of the collection we have available are digitised and available online through the Cambridge Core database (access it from the Quick Links box), but a large number of them have yet to be made available online.

Click here to see all of the Cambridge Companion books we have.
Bloom's Classical Critical Views
These books edited by Harold Bloom are great research starters for specific author studies, with critical essays on a selection of a specific author's works.
Routledge's Guides to Literature
These books are similar to the Cambridge Companion Books, and provide overviews on a variety of topics including

Dictionaries

Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window Widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary is a guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words past and presentfrom across the English-speaking world. As a historical dictionary, you can find the history of individual words, and of the languagetraced through 3 million quotations, from classic literature and specialist periodicals to film scripts and cookery books. → Concurrent users: Unlimited → Available to current NTU staff and students | Restricted onsite access for NIE staff & students, associate members -- please approach the staff at the Lee Wee Nam Library service desk for assistance.

Why are dictionaries useful?

The definitions of specific literary jargon can be confusing, and are sometimes used in other humanities or social sciences (like in Mass Communication, or Linguistics) but with a different meaning.

Dictionaries provide you with proper context of how a term is used in Literature, and saves you the embarrassment of submitting an essay based on a mistaken definition. There are many dictionaries specific for literary criticism beyond those listed below in our collection.

A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature by David Lyle Jeffrey (Editor)
Call Number: PR149.B5D554
ISBN: 9780802836342
Publication Date: 1992-11-01
Explains biblical motifs, names, and allusions that are frequently used in English literature, and provides examples for each item.
Dictionary of Film Terms by Frank Eugene Beaver
Call Number: PN1993.45.B386 2009
ISBN: 9781433104534
Publication Date: 2009-03-06
Frank Beaver's Dictionary of Film Terms is an indispensable reference tool for the study of films and filmmaking. This trusted and practical handbook clearly and concisely defines the essential terms of film analysis, with a special focus on the aesthetic values of filmmaking. It covers areas as wide-ranging as digital cinema, direct-to-DVD, and polyphonic film, and includes numerous stills from classic and contemporary films. Extensive cross-referencing among individual definitions ensures easy access to specific terms, and a comprehensive topical index relates to larger concepts of film art.
Dictionary of Literary Influences by John Powell
Call Number: Z1039.C45D554
ISBN: 9780313317842
Publication Date: 2004-02-28
Treating the cultural giants of the 20th century, this volume traces their reading habits and intellectual development, as well as their contributions to Western culture. Suggesting the literary influences on these figures, the book includes 355 entries on people from a broad range of fields, including scientists, politicians, business figures, writers, religious leaders, and figures from the performing arts and popular culture.
A Dictionary of Literary Symbols by Michael Ferber
Call Number: PN56.S9F346 2007
ISBN: 9780521690546
Publication Date: 2007-06-21
This is the first dictionary of symbols to be based on literature, rather than 'universal' psychological archetypes or myths. It explains and illustrates the literary symbols that we all frequently encounter (such as swan, rose, moon, gold), and gives hundreds of cross-references and quotations. The dictionary 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.

Encyclopedias

Why not Wikipedia?

Wikipedia is actually just an online, general encyclopedia. So should you use Wikipedia in your academic work?

The answer is no. Encyclopedias published by academic publishers are curated and vetted by authorised academics and experts, and aim to provide detailed examinations and analyses on very specific topics. Wikipedia, on the other hand, is curated by anonymous contributors or unverified experts, and aims to provide general knowledge for the public.

Do use the encyclopedias in the Library's collection instead of Wikipedia to get access to well-rounded and detailed examinations of core literary concepts and theories that can help you develop your arguments and essays, to lend more weight and authority to your arguments.

The Encyclopedia of Literary and Cultural Theory by Michael Ryan (General Editor); Gregory Castle (Volume Editor); Robert Eaglestone (Volume Editor); M. Keith Booker (Volume Editor)
Call Number: PN81.E56
ISBN: 9781405183123
Publication Date: 2011-01-18
This is the first comprehensive multi-volume encyclopedia of literary and cultural theory. Arranged in three volumes covering Literary Theory from 1900 to 1966, Literary Theory from 1966 to the present, and Cultural Theory, this encyclopedia provides accessible entries on the important concepts, theorists and trends in post-1900 literary and cultural theory. With explanations of complex terms and important theoretical concepts, and summaries of the work and ideas of key figures, it is a highly informative reference work for a multi-disciplinary readership.
Encyclopedia of Feminist Literary Theory by Elizabeth Kowaleski Wallace (Editor)
Call Number: PN98.W64E56
ISBN: 9780415998024
Publication Date: 2009-06-05
The Encyclopedia of Feminist Literary Theory is an essential resource for scholars and students of feminist literary studies. The book outlines recent developments in the field such as ecofeminism, globalism and diaspora, defining emerging terms and documenting the evolution of queer theory. This volume provides overview entries on key people, issues, theories, terms, concerns, and methodologies in feminist literary theory. In addition, the book presents entries detailing the significance of literary periods and fields such as Medieval Studies, Shakespeare, and Romanticism for feminist theory, suggesting how feminisms affect the development of new ideas and intellectual practices.
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Asian American Literature by Guiyou Huang (Editor)
Call Number: PS153.A84G816
ISBN: 9780313341571
Publication Date: 2008-12-30
Asian American literature dates back to the close of the 19th century, and during the years following World War II it significantly expanded in volume and diversity. This encyclopedia surveys Asian American literature from its origins through 2007. Included are more than 270 alphabetically arranged entries on writers, major works, significant historical events, and important terms and concepts and gives special attention to the historical, social, cultural, and legal contexts surrounding Asian American literature and central to the Asian American experience. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and cites works for further reading, and the encyclopedia closes with a selected, general bibliography of essential print and electronic resources.

English Literature: Books

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E-Book Collections

Handbooks

Dictionaries

Encyclopedias