Gothic Writers: A Critical and Bibliographical Guide

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.

Examines more than 50 Gothic writers from Horace Walpole to Stephen King providing critical overviews and extensive bibliographical information.

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 Cahners Business Information.

DOUGLASS H. THOMSON is Associate Professor of English at Georgia Southern University. He is the author of essays on English Romanticism and the novel.

JACK G. VOLLER is Associate Professor of English at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. His publications include The Supernatural Sublime: The Metaphysics of Terror in Anglo-American Romanticism (1994), along with articles on Poe, William Gibson, and funerary semiotics.

FREDERICK S. FRANK is Professor Emeritus of English at Allegheny College. He is the coeditor of The Poe Encyclopedia (1997) and the author of Through the Pale Door: A Guide to and through the American Gothic (1990), both available from Greenwood Press.