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.

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.