Emmanuel S. Nelson

There is growing popular and scholarly interest in autobiography, along with increasing regard for the achievements of African American writers. The first reference of its kind, this volume chronicles the autobiographical tradition in African American literature. Included are alphabetically arranged entries for 66 African American authors who present autobiographical material in their works. The volume profiles major figures, such as Frederick Douglass, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, and Malcolm X, along with many lesser known autobiographers who deserve greater attention. While some are known primarily for their literary accomplishments, others have gained acclaim for their diverse contributions to society. The entries are written by expert contributors and provide authoritative information about their subjects. Each begins with a concise biography, which summarizes the life and achievements of the autobiographer. This is followed by a discussion of major autobiographical works and themes, along with an overview of the autobiographer's critical reception. The entries close with primary and secondary bibliographies, and a selected, general bibliography concludes the volume. Together, the entries provide a detailed portrait of the African American autobiographical tradition from the 18th century to the present.

A Sourcebook

African American Autobiographers

The fifty-eight writers included in this new sourcebook have roots in India--or, less frequently, in Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Sri Lanka--but represent diverse geographical areas of the Indian Diaspora: from the South Pacific to South America, from the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Singapore to the cities and suburbs of London, New York, Johannesburg, and Toronto. Their lives, works, themes, and critical receptions are examined individually but with attention to two central assumptions: that people of the Indian diaspora share a diasporic consciousness generated by a complex network of historical connections, spiritual affinities, and unifying racial memories, and that this shared sensibility is manifested in the cultural productions of the Indian diasporic communities around the world. These concepts, developed by Professor Nelson in a previous study, Reworlding: The Literature of the Indian Diaspora, are here applied to a larger canvas of writers, including major international figures such as V.S. Naipaul, and Salman Rushdie and talented emerging writers. The writers practice a variety of literary forms and represent a extraordinary diversity of ethnicities, languages, and religious traditions. The women among them contribute the perspective of gender along with the themes of ethnicity, migrancy, and post-coloniality shared with the male writers. Each entry begins with relevant biographical information on the writer, offers an interpretive summary of the major works, provides an overview of the critical reception accorded the corpus and individual productions, and concludes with detailed primary and secondary bibliographies. A brief appendix lists each writer with place of birth and places of domicile. The introduction to the volume, by Professor Nalini Natarajan, discusses several theoretical issues pertinent to Indian diasporic studies. Of value to all literary collections and scholars, this reference work will be of special interest for post-colonial and Commonwealth studies.

A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook

Writers of the Indian Diaspora

Abigail Burnham Bloom

British women writers of the 19th century were a remarkably talented, diverse, and prolific group. While some of these writers, such as Jane Austen and George Eliot, have long been recognized for their contributions, many others have been overlooked. This reference guide includes alphabetically arranged entries for more than 90 British women writers of the 19th century. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and provides a brief biography, a discussion of major works and themes, a review of the author's critical reception, and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources.

A Bio-bibliographical Critical Sourcebook

Nineteenth-century British Women Writers

Unlike any other book of its kind, this volume celebrates published works from a broad range of American ethnic groups not often featured in the typical canon of literature. • Highlights the most important print and electronic resources on multicultural literature through a detailed bibliography • Features entries from 50 contributors, all of whom are experts in their fields • Includes cultural works not often highlighted in traditional textbooks, such as Iranian American literature, Dominican American literature, and Puerto Rican American literature

Ethnic American Literature: An Encyclopedia for Students

Despite their significant contributions to the American theater, African American dramatists have received less critical attention than novelists and poets. This reference offers thorough critical assessments of the lives and works of African American playwrights from the 19th century to the present. The book alphabetically arranges entries on more than 60 dramatists, including James Baldwin, Arna Bontemps, Ossie Davis, Zora Neale Hurston, and Richard Wright. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and includes a biography, a discussion of major works and themes, a summary of the playwright's critical reception, and primary and secondary bibliographies. The volume closes with a selected, general bibliography. African American dramatists have made enormous contributions to the theater and their works are included in numerous editions and anthologies. Some of the most popular plays of the 20th century have been written by African Americans, and high school students and undergraduates study their works. But for all their popularity and influence, African American playwrights have received less critical attention than poets and novelists. This reference offers thorough critical assessments of more than 60 African American dramatists from the 19th century to the present.

An A-to-Z Guide

African American Dramatists: An A-to-Z Guide

Alphabetically arranged entries in five chronological volumes focus on individual authors, works, and topics related to multiethnic American literature.

The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Multiethnic American Literature

In this two-volume work, hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries survey contemporary lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer American literature and its social contexts. • Hundreds of alphabetically arranged entries discuss authors, literary works, movements, genres, and social issues • An alphabetical list of entries offers a quick survey of the encyclopedia's contents • A guide to related topics quickly and conveniently directs readers to entries likely to interest them • Bibliographies for specific entries help students find sources of additional information on specialized topics • A selected, general bibliography directs students to the most helpful print and electronic resources on contemporary LGBTQ American literature

Encyclopedia of Contemporary LGBTQ Literature of the United States [2 volumes]

John Charles Hawley

The collapse of empires has resulted in a greater appreciation for indigenous cultures in former colonies and a renaissance of creativity. More than 150 alphabetically arranged entries by expert contributors overview and assess the effects of globalization on literary and cultural studies in the 21st century. Attempting to counter what some have seen as the anglophone bias of postcolonial studies, the volume emphasizes the common heritage of resistance in francophone, hispanophone, and other literatures, including the literatures of nonEuropean postimperial states.

Emmanuel S. Nelson

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