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Research Guides

English: Book Reviews

This guide recommends resources for research in English language studies, British and American literature, and other literatures written in English.

Resources for Locating Current Book Reviews

The following databases are good places to locate contemporary book reviews in scholarly journals, popular magazines, and newspapers. Dates of coverage vary, but most go back to the early 1980s.  If your book was published earlier, see "Resources for Locating Older Book Reviews" below.

Resources for Locating Older Book Reviews

Often print resources are best for locating older book reviews. The following is a list of resources that provide information on locating reviews of older works of fiction, poetry, drama, and/or literary scholarship. All are PRINT ONLY with the exception of those with the "UW restricted" notice.

American Humanities Index (AI3 .A487) 1975-present
American Periodicals Series Online, 1740-1900 - [UW restricted] 1740-1900+
Annual Bibliography of English Language & Literature (ABELL) - [UW restricted] 1923-present
Book Review Digest (Z1219 .B65) 1905-1994
Book Review Index (Z1035.A1 B6) 1965-present
British Periodicals - [UW restricted] 1680s-1930s
Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Humanities Journals (Z6265 .C65 1982) 1802-1974
Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Scholarly Journals (Z1035 .A1 C64) 1886-1974
Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective - [UW restricted] 1907-1984
Index to Book Reviews in England (Z1035.A1 F67 1990) 1749-1800
Index to Book Reviews in the Humanities (Z1035.A1 I63) 1960-1990
Index to Literature in the New Yorker (AP2 .N6764) 1925-1975
Literary Reviews in British Periodicals, 1789-1797: A Bibliography (Z2013 .W36 1979a) 1789-1797
Monthly Review, First & Second Series: Indexes of Contributors & Articles (AP2 .N6764) 1749-1815
National Library Service Cumulative Book Review Index (Z1035.A1 N35) 1905-1974
Reader's Guide Retrospective - [UW restricted] 1890-1982
Times Literary Supplement Index (AP4 .T15 index) 1902-1980

    Key Book Review Sources