Reference Books for Background
Dictionary of Literary Biography (Detroit: Gale)
Ref PS 221 .A5
This is a multi-volume set that offers author profiles with a critical overview of their work. Because the American coverage is dated, you will only find "major" writers who were well-known before 1980.
Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1995.
Ref PN 3433.4 .E53 1995
Brief articles on writers, works, organizations, and topics such as "cyberpunk" and "women portrayed in science fiction".
Science Fiction Writers: Critical Studies of Major Authors from the Early Nineteenth Century to the Present Day. 2nd ed. New York: Scribner's, 1999.
Ref PS 374 .S35 S36 1999
Fairly substantial essays on the lives and works of a wide range of writers, chiefly American but including British and European writers as well.
St. James Guide to Fantasy Writers. New York: St. James, 1996.
Ref PN 3435 .S73 1996
Short articles on writers with critical overviews of their works.
Finding Books About Science Fiction / Finding Works of Science Fiction
MnPALS
Our library catalog, searchable by author, title, or topic; includes the terrific Rezmerski Collection. You can limit a search to works about science fiction (or fantasy fiction) by adding the search term "criticism" to your search. Authors are shelved with criticism under their nationality and period (rather than in a separate fiction section). Also try browsing the PN 3448 .S45 section of the shelves upstairs, which is about the genre generally.
MnLink
We don't have it? Search many Minnesota libraries at once - including both college and public libraries. Books can be ordered through Interlibrary Loan by signing in to your account using the barcode on your Gustavus ID and your last name (for PIN/Password). Use the "my library" default. Then search for what you want and request it by clicking on the "get it" button. THIS TAKES TIME - often a week - but really opens up possibilities, especially for writers who are more likely found in public library collections. You will get an e-mail when the book is here; pick it up at the main desk.
Finding Critical Articles Using Databases
Academic Search Premier
A general, cross-disciplinary database. Search by subject or keyword; to limit a search to critical articles (as opposed to magazine articles) check the "scholarly (peer reviewed) journals" option. Some full-text articles are included. To find out if articles that are not full-text are here, check the journal locator. If you find an interesting article is not owned by our library, fill out an interlibrary loan request. THIS TAKES TIME - be prepared to wait a few days. Watch your e-mail; most articles are scanned, posted on a secure site, and a URL is mailed to you.
MLA
Bibliography
This database provides the most complete coverage of literary criticism published in books and journals. Because it is so in-depth, most of what is indexed here is not available in this library and must be ordered through interlibrary loan. It's quite easy from this database - first, click on "links to holdings" and choose library catalog (for books) or journal locator for articles in magazines and journals. If you find out we don't own it, click on "interlibrary loan" and it will fill out most of the form for you. Note: this index tends to focus primarily on works and authors who receive attention from scholars, so new writers and those who are too "popular" to get noticed by academics may not be included. Sad but true.
Science
Fiction and Fantasy Research Database
Lists publications about science
fiction published since 1878. Includes History, criticism, commentary,
fan writings, but not book reviews. Not full-text and many of the publications
indexed may be hard to obtain through interlibrary
loan. Compiled by the obsessive Hal W. Hall at Texas A&M University.
Though most literary criticism is still published in print form in peer-reviewed journals, these sites are useful for researchers and fans.
Feminist Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Utopia - especially good for checklists of authors, recommended reading lists, and themes.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Book List Site - based in the UK, includes listings of works by over 4,000 SF writers, and in some cases links to authors' sites. Particularly good for obscure authors who may be otherwise hard to track down.
Uncle Hugo's - okay, there's not a lot at the site besides informal reviews and lists of upcoming publications, but you really should visit one of the world's best SF bookstores, right here in Minnesota. An amazing assortment of books, new and used.
Information about MLA style can be found in Lundsford's Everyday Writer. (There are copies at the reference desk and at the Writing Center if you don't have your own handy.) Or take a look at our quick models or the more detailed models offered in Research and Documentation Online.