Critical Insights: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

February 1, 2010
Gr 9 Up-Don't have space in the stacks for Gale's "Contemporary Literary Criticism"? Here's a handy modern addition to the genre that will simplify the task of locating material on some of the most frequently assigned titles. Each meticulously referenced volume is devoted to a single classica novel, a memoir, a playor, in the case of Edgar Allan Poe, short stories. The texts introduce the narratives in their historical context, provide a short biography of the author, and offer "The "Paris Review" Perspective" on the works, followed by a series of articles by academics under the headings of "Critical Contexts" or "Critical Readings." Several themes are analyzed in these segments and they include such essays as Samuel Sipe's "Memory and Confession in "Great Expectations""; Gary Richards's thoughts on "Harper Lee and the Destabilization of Heterosexuality"; and Robert C. Evans's ""The Joy Luck Club" After Twenty Years." Curiously, each volume ends with a two-page discussion of the "Paris Review"'s colorful history. Purchase of the volumes allows online access to the print content in its entirety. Students can search the easy-to-navigate database and print out and/or email the desired material, along with a prepared citation. Overall, a fresh take on the classics and an excellent choice."Christina Connolly, Clark University, Worcester, MA"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2010
Last fall, Salem introduced its "Critical Insights" series, which the publisher expects to complete by the end of 2010 and which currently includes titles covering individuals like Robert Frost and Ernest Hemingway and titles like "Great Expectations" and "The Joy Luck Club". Each volume incorporates lengthy articles, endnotes, bibliographies, a detailed index with "See" references, a general bibliography, an author biography, and much more. Factual information appears accurate throughout, with general bibliographic resources covering 1961 through 2007. Each volume also comes with its own database-activation number, which provides free, unlimited, simultaneous online access both remotely and from the library's computers. Online editions mirror the print and may include a few additional photographs not found in the books. A reasonable acquisitions policy allows for either specific volume or full-set purchases based on a library's specific needs and budget. BOTTOM LINE This is a valuable addition to academic libraries supporting literature students at both the undergraduate and the graduate level as it presents different views and more in-depth articles than those found in such literature series as "Bloom," "Literary Criticism," and "Contemporary Literary Criticism." [Free online access is available to those purchasing print editions through 2011.]Laurie Selwyn, Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.