Preparing for a book discussion? The Wilton Library offers
these tips for doing research at the Library and on the Web.
You may want to see what
the Wilton Library staff recommends - you'll find great suggestions
for your next book!
For information about a specific author or work,
try searching the name on Google. If you're looking for evaluation of a specific work, try adding the word "review" to your search.
General
- Antiquarian, Rare, and Used Book Sites
- Booksellers on the Web
- BBC Arts: Books
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/books/)
A potpourri of links on writing, poetry and books: all about authors,
learning to write, and literary fun and games.
- Best Book Buys
(http://www.bestbookbuys.com/)
Compares prices for new and used books at a number of independent
and chain online bookstores.
- Book Bytes
(http://marylaine.com/bookbyte/index.html)
Columns by reviewer Marylaine Block about great books, annotated
bibliographies of books too good to put down, book dealers, and links
to other review sources.
- Book Sale Finder
(http://www.booksalefinder.com/)
The comprehensive resource for book lovers, collectors, and bargain-hunters
looking for great books at great prices.
- Booknotes.org
(http://www.booknotes.org/home/index.asp)
C-SPAN designed this web site as a companion to its author interview
series. Read transcripts from previous BOOKNOTES programs, watch RealVideo
clips of some interviews, listen to recent BOOKNOTES programs in their
entirety in RealAudio, and find a schedule of upcoming programs.
- Books and Book Collecting
(http://www.trussel.com/f_books.htm)
A resource for book collectors searching for rare, out of print books,
or volumes to complete sets. This site provides links to over 20 sources
for used book buying with one search form.
- BookSpot
(http://www.bookspot.com/)
An extensive directory of book-related links. Subject headings include
What to Read, Genre Corner, Where to Buy, Behind the Books, Winners,
and more.
- Cambridge History of
English and American Literature
(http://www.bartleby.com/cambridge/)
The largest public reference work of literary criticism and history
on the Internet. Originally published 1907-1921, the 18 volumes include
303 chapters and more than 11,000 pages, edited and written by a worldwide
panel of 171 leading scholars and thinkers of the early 20th century.
- Censored:
Wielding the Red Pen
(http://www.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/censored/intro.html)
Exhibit from the University of Virginia examines censorship throughout
U.S. history. Choose a category from the drop-down menu.
- The Internet Public Library
Online Literary Criticism Collection
(http://www.ipl.org/div/litcrit/)
Annotated collection of critical and biographical websites about
authors and their works that can be browsed by author, by title, or
by nationality and literary period.
- Legends
(http://www.legends.dm.net/index.html)
Legends explores the literature and history of legendary tales and
characters from the world of folklore and mythology.
- Literature Webliography
(http://www.lib.lsu.edu/hum/lit/lit.html)
Links to many literature sources from overviews of literary fields
to newsgroups and online literary journals.
- LitLinks
(http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/litlinks/home.htm)
With qualitative information about authors and works, links are organized
alphabetically by author within five genres: fiction, essays, drama,
poetry, and critical theory.
- A
Simple Book Repair Manual
(http://www.dartmouth.edu/~preserve/repair/repairindex.htm)
An extensive guide to book repair created by members of Preservation
Services, Dartmouth College Library.
- Today in Literature
(http://www.todayinliterature.com/index.asp)
Today in Literature features a new original biographical story each
calendar day about the great writers, books, and events in literary
history, supplemented with links to recommended websites where you
will find author biographies, electronic texts, reviews, quotes and
other reference materials of interest to avid readers, members of book
clubs, students, and teachers.
- Your Old Books
(http://www.rbms.nd.edu/yob.html)
This guide (produced under the auspices of the Rare Books and Manuscripts
Section, Association of College and Research Libraries) covers some
frequently asked questions about rare books and book values.
Discussion Groups
- Book-Clubs.com
(http://www.book-clubs.com)
An "all-in-one-place" portal for finding information about particular
book clubs as well as for finding book clubs that match your professional,
leisure or other needs.
- Book Movement
(http://www.bookmovement.com/)
Register your book club and get your own book club page, send out
email reminders, and access discussion guides.
- How to Use the
Wilton Library to Prepare for a Book Discussion
(http://www.wiltonlibrary.org/bookdisc.asp)
A guide to the resources available at the Library and online.
Electronic Texts
- Bartleby.com
The preeminent Internet publisher of literature, reference, and verse. Bibliomania
(http://www.bibliomania.com/)
Fully searchable full-text editions of classic works of fiction,
non-fiction, drama, short stories, and poetry.
- Classic Reader
(http://www.classicreader.com/)
Read classic works of literature, poetry, fiction, and more in cleanly-formatted
HTML. Free (and simple) registration allows you to make your own annotations
(visible only to you), participate in online discussions, and download
HTML versions of entire books.
- Digital Dante
(http://dante.ilt.columbia.edu/new/)
An extensive project started before the Web existed, Digital Dante
is a great starting point for Dante neophytes and scholars. Here you
will find background and critical information, easy-to-read full texts
in original Tuscan and two of the most respected English translations.
- Electronic Books
(http://www.stockton.lib.ca.us/ebooks.htm)
This resource from the Stockton San Joaquin Public Library points
you to many places online where you can find electronic texts and the
software that lets you access them.
- Electronic Literature
Directory
(http://directory.eliterature.org/)
A project seeking to provide access to some of the most innovative
electronic texts on the Internet.
- EServer.org
(http://eserver.org/)
Since 1990, the EServer has been "collecting" humanities texts from
all over the Internet. There are currently over 32,000 items here covering
all areas of the humanities.
- Literature.org
(http://www.literature.org/)
A collection of literary classics available in full-text HTML.
- Online Books Page
(http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/)
This extensive, searchable index of over 20,000 full-text English-language
works also provides access to large repositories of specialty and foreign
language works.
- Project Gutenberg
(http://www.gutenberg.net/)
Possibly the largest single effort to convert literature into digital
format and put it on the Internet, Project Gutenberg recently published
its 13,000th e-text.
- Wired for Books
(http://www.wiredforbooks.org)
This award-winning site offers a variety of original works of poetry,
essays, short stories, children's books, and scholarly discussions
of books and literature.
Literary Journals
We are including here a sample of some of the best,
both technologically and creatively. NEWPages.com lists and connects to many more.
- Blue Moon Review
(http://www.TheBlueMoon.com/)
This thrice-yearly review of literature features talented young writers
from the U.S. and Canada.
- Ploughshares
Ploughshares is published three times a year at Emerson College. Each issue offers almost two hundred pages of great new stories and poems, guest-edited by a prominent writer who explores personal visions, aesthetics, and literary circles.
- Small Spiral Notebook
(http://www.smallspiralnotebook.com/)
This occasional online journal publishes high-quality fiction, nonfiction,
poetry, photography and more.
Reading Lists and Recommendations
- AllReaders
(http://www.allreaders.com/)
Search for book recommendations by broad category or author, or by
any combination of plot, theme, character or setting. Heavy on modern
British fiction.
- Banned
Books Online
(http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/banned-books.html)
This online exhibit of books that have been banned or censored for
various reasons aims to raise awareness of censorship.
- Fiction_L Booklists
(http://www.webrary.org/rs/FLbklistmenu.html)
Compiled by an online readers' advisory discussion group in response
to readers' requests, this eclectic collection of reading lists should
appeal to any avid reader.
- Genrefluent
(http://www.genrefluent.com/)
This online companion to the popular reference for genre fiction
will keep you up-to-date with the latest offerings in your favorite
genre.
- Great Books of Western
Civilization
(http://www.mercer.edu/gbk/index.html)
Online home of an interdisciplinary course of study at Mercer University,
this site provides course syllabi and links to online versions of the
texts studied.
- LiteraryCritic.com
(http://www.literarycritic.com/)
The "best books" lists here reflect the choices of institutions that
include the Library of America and Harvard Classics, and of individuals
such as Thomas Jefferson and Harold Bloom.
- The Mystery Reader
(http://www.themysteryreader.com/)
For the true mystery fan, this page has hundreds of reviews, author
information, and news about eagerly awaited new publications.
- Novelist
(http://search.epnet.com/cpidlogin.asp?profile=novelist&custid=s4408004)
Book lists, reading recommendations, discussion guides, book reviews,
author biographies and more. [Available to Wilton residents with current
Wilton Library cards -- if you are a Wilton resident in need of a card,
stop by the library or fill out this
application.]
- Overbooked
(http://www.overbooked.org/)
Includes recommended book lists in genre fiction, a discussion area, "hot
lists" of forthcoming hardcover fiction releases, and lists of books
that received at least one "starred" review in a major journal.
- The Romance Reader
(http://www.theromancereader.com/)
At this starting point for readers of romance, you will find links
to authors' pages, reading groups, book reviews, publisher information,
and award winners.
- SF Site
(http://www.sfsite.com/)
This online magazine for fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy has
reviews, author interviews, notes about conventions, and articles on
related topics such as computer gaming and science fact that's as exciting
as fiction.
- What
Do I Read Next?
(http://sales.iacenter.com:1800/cgi-bin/iconn/rpa.pl)
If you have read all of your favorite author, or if you're just looking
for something good to read, try searching this collection of more than
100,000 titles with summaries, reviews, subject classifications and
more. After you have entered your barcode number, click on "What Do
I Read Next?" in the list of databases. [Available to all Connecticut
residents with current public library cards. If you are in need of
a library card, please visit your home town library -- the Wilton Library
cannot issue cards to non-Wilton residents.]
- What's Next?
(http://www.kdl.org/libcat/whatsnext.asp)
If you're a mystery buff or science fiction fan, you probably have
some favorite authors who write series, and favorite characters who
appear in them. From Jane Marple to Jane Whitefield, What's Next will
update you on installments you might have missed.
Reviews and Awards
Writing
- Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest
(http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/)
San Jose State University sponsors this annual contest to write the
worst possible opening sentence to the worst possible novel. Get contest
rules, submit your entry online, and read past entries and winners.
- ShawGuides: Writer's
Conferences & Workshops
(http://www.shawguides.com/writing/)
Find detailed descriptions of hundreds of conferences, workshops,
residences, and retreats for writers worldwide.
- Writer's Digest
(http://www.writersdigest.com/)
A supplement to the printed edition of Writer's Digest, this
site contains the most current information on publishing both fiction
and non-fiction.
- Writer's Guild of America West
While you must have had many hours of original screenplays actually
produced in order to qualify for membership, this site offers tips,
tricks and links for the non-member interested in screenwriting. Try the Writer's Guild of America East site, as well.