Gothic Writers: A Critical and Bibliographical Guide [Hardcover]

Douglass H. Thomson (Editor), Jack G. Voller (Editor), Frederick S. Frank (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313305005 | ISBN-13: 978-0313305009 | Publication Date: November 30, 2001 | Edition: annotated edition

With its roots in Romanticism, antiquarianism, and the primacy of the imagination, the Gothic genre originated in the 18th century, flourished in the 19th, and continues to thrive today. This reference is designed to accommodate the critical and bibliographical needs of a broad spectrum of users, from scholars seeking critical assistance to general readers wanting an introduction to the Gothic, its abundant criticism, and the present state of Gothic Studies. The volume includes alphabetically arranged entries on more than 50 Gothic writers from Horace Walpole to Stephen King. Entries for Russian, Japanese, French, and German writers give an international scope to the book, while the focus on English and American literature shows the dynamic nature of Gothicism today. Each of the entries is devoted to a particular author or group of authors whose works exhibit Gothic elements, beginning with a primary bibliography of works by the writer, including modern editions. This section is followed by a critical essay, which examines the author's use of Gothic themes, the author's place in the Gothic tradition, and the critical reception of the author's works. The entries close with selected, annotated bibliographies of scholarly studies. The volume concludes with a timeline and a bibliography of the most important broad scholarly works on the Gothic.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Aimed at scholars seeking criticism as well as general readers pursuing an introduction to Gothic studies, this resource presents some 50 authors, with one entry also covering chapbooks, bluebooks, short stories, and plays. Each entry includes a list of the subject's principal Gothic works, an analytical essay, and a bibliography of selected criticism. While most of the authors are British or American, foreign-language writers are also represented; those included range from Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Horace Walpole to Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, and Toni Morrison to Vladimir Odoevsky, Friedrich Schiller, and the Marquis de Sade. A time line of works from 1762 to 1999 and a bibliography of critical resources (including web sites) round out the volume. The editors, who are all English professors (Thomson, Georgia Southern Univ.; Jack G. Voller, Southern Illinois Univ.; Frederick S. Frank, emeritus, Allegheny Coll.), have all published works in Gothic studies. While other noteworthy resources on this subject have appeared recently e.g., Marie Mulvey-Roberts's Handbook to Gothic Literature (New York Univ., 1998) and David Pringle's St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost and Gothic Writers (St. James, 1998) Gothic Writers presents a more comprehensive picture by including authors and works not previously considered within this genre. Recommended for academic libraries. Denise J. Stankovics, Rockville P.L., Vernon, CT
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

As the field of Gothic studies has mushroomed in the last few decades, so, too, has the academic debate about the meaning of the term. Though they do not provide their own definition, the editors of this volume have chosen "to reflect the repercussions of the broader application of the adjective 'Gothic' currently used to describe many works and writers not previously associated with horror literature." They cover not only familiar eighteenth-century horror writers such as Ann Radcliff and Horace Walpole, but also Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, D. H. Lawrence, Herman Melville, and Joyce Carol Oates, as well as several non-Western writers.

Each of the 52 author entries and 2 thematic entries contains a list of principal Gothic works as well as modern reprints and editions, followed by a critical essay examining Gothic themes. At the end of each entry, the researcher finds an annotated bibliography of scholarly works. The volume concludes with a time line of Gothic authors and works (1762-2000). Following the time line is a general bibliography of critical resources, including eight Web sites. There are two indexes, one of authors and titles and one of editors, compilers, and translators.

Many of the authors found here are discussed in other resources, such as St. James Guide to Horror, Ghost, and Gothic Writers (Gale, 1998), but no other work treats them in the context of current Gothic studies. Recommended for academic and large public libraries. REVWR
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press; annotated edition edition (November 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313305005
• ISBN-13: 978-0313305009
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,886,120 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid study of the genre, January 22, 2007

By 

James Rockhill (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gothic Writers: A Critical and Bibliographical Guide (Hardcover)

The editorial reviews tell you all you need to know about the book, and it is a pity that the only starred rating attached to this title accompanies a single, incoherent review. A few of the entries are a trifle dry, and the book is not one for a general audience with a limited appreciation for classic gothic fiction, but it is otherwise an excellent tool.

2 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars what the...?, April 18, 2002

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timothy huang (sydney, nsw australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gothic Writers: A Critical and Bibliographical Guide (Hardcover)

to read this "book" would be to introduce yourself to the worst piece of "literature", if you can call it that.

it was, to say the least, disappointing to readob the entire content of this book, and if ...