LibGuides: English Literature: Home

Get started by using books

Great for summaries and background information books are a reliable, easy to understand source. Most of the books for English Literature can be found on the 4th Floor of the Library.

Find your reading list

Use your module reading list to find books recommended by your lecturer. Find the link on the module site on Blackboard or via the link below.

Find books on a topic using the catalogue

Alternatively search for a specific book or books on a topic using the Enterprise catalogue (search box below).

Can't get the item you need?

Scholarly editions and series

These series, such as the Arden, New Cambridge and Shakespeare editions, are considered a scholarly edition of a work and sometimes have lengthy and useful introductions.

Arden Shakespeare [Drama Online] / New Cambridge Shakespeare / Oxford Shakespeare [Oxford Scholarly Editions Online]
Reputable critical editions of Shakespeare’s texts with scholarly annotations.

Blackwell companions to literature and culture
A well established series of critical works, covering major themes and genres in literature.

Cambridge Companions
Introductions to major writers, topics and periods.
Available online, many are available in print in the Library too. Search the Enterprise catalogue (above,) for "cambridge companions" to find these.

Early English Text Society series
820.6-EAR
A useful series for scholarly editions of primary texts

Middle English texts
820.8-MID
A useful series for scholarly editions of primary texts

Oxford History of English Literature
820.9-OXF
Important series of historical and critical writing covering different literary periods

Renaissance English Text Society series
Reproductions and translations of signiﬁcant non-dramatic writings in English from the period 1475-1660

Extend your search using journal articles

For the latest information on specific topics use journal articles.

Finding journal articles

Summon articles you can read straightaway

For quick access to articles available to students at Reading search Summon for your topic using the box below.

Video on how to use Summon

Go one step beyond...

Explore further using these key resources for your subject:

Gale Literature [full-text] This link opens in a new window
This resource covers a wide range of literary topics including full-text access to books and poetry, literary criticism and author biographies.
You can cross-search the following databases:

- Gale Literature Criticism
- Gale Literature: Dictionary of Literary Biography
- Gale Literature: LitFinder
- Gale Literature Resource Center
- Gale Literature: Scribner Writer Series
- Gale Literature: Something About the Author
- Gale Literature: Twayne's Author Series

Help and guidance
Once logged into the site click on 'Help' at the bottom of the page for comprehensive guidance.
JSTOR [full-text & images] This link opens in a new window
Multi-disciplinary digital library of academic journal archives, ebooks, and primary sources, including images.

Please note, you do not have to create a personal account to use JSTOR.

Please read the JSTOR terms and conditions of use before accessing JSTOR.
Full-text archive of more than 2,600 academic journals across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Covers from 1880s (or volume 1) up to a 'moving wall' end date, usually of between 2 and 5 years ago. Each journal title has its own 'moving wall' date.

We subscribe to all journal collections, as well as Global Plants and Primary Sources (covering 19th Century British Pamphlets ; Struggles for Freedom: Southern Africa; World Heritage Sites: Africa.

Some ebooks are also available - individual titles are listed on Enterprise and a link to freely available JSTOR ebooks is below.

Help and guidance
JSTOR help page for searching
MLA (Modern Language Association International Bibliography) This link opens in a new window
References to publications covering literature, language, linguistics and folklore worldwide.
MLA (Modern Language Association International Bibliography) covers literature, language, linguistics and folklore worldwide.

Gives references to journal articles, monographs, working papers, conference proceedings, indexes and bibliographies, etc.

Covers 1884-. Hosted on the EBSCO platform.

Help and guidance
EBSCOhost user guide
Project MUSE [full-text] This link opens in a new window
Access to articles in over 500 journal titles in arts, humanities and social sciences.
View a list of titles available on Project Muse (you will need to be on-campus or logged in via the off-campus link above to view this list).

Complements JSTOR by providing recent issues of many titles in that archive.

Help and guidance
Project MUSE video tutorials and search guides

Explore more resources for English Literature...

Your Librarian

Natalie Guest

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Send an email

More info:

Get my help with finding relevant books and articles for your research, help with accessing library materials and collections, referencing and reference management software.

Email me with your question or book an appointment

0118 3783415

Subjects: Art, Cultures, English language and applied linguistics, English literature, Film, theatre and television, Fine art, French studies, German studies, Graphic communication, History of art, Italian studies, Language, Linguistics, Literature, Spanish and Latin American studies, Television, Theatre, Typography and graphic communication

Additional guides

Shakespeare on Film
A guide providing an overview of Library resources available relating to Shakespeare on Film; books, journal articles, plays, films and more
Researching your English Literature Dissertation
A guide providing an overview of Library resources available to support your dissertation research.
English Literature Dissertation Explorer
University of Reading Special Collections have a list of suggested topics you could research for your dissertation using archives and rare books held at Special Collections, the MERL at London Road campus.