Pathfinder for Spanish Literature Reference
Sources
| Introduction | Browsing Areas | Encyclopedias |
| Dictionaries | Social Sciences | Atlases | Statistics | Internet Resources
Introduction
A pathfinder is a tool for finding the way. It is not meant
to be a comprehensive, all inclusive bibliography, but
instead a starting point for students with little idea
where to begin research. The ideal pathfinder is one that
leads to other places of learning and discovery. For those
who seek to learn more about Spain and its culture, this
pathfinder offers fundamental resources to begin
investigation. Upon consulting these works one will have a
much better grasp of the subject matter and ideas about
where to proceed next.
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Browsing Areas
The Library of Congress classifies Spanish resources in a
couple of general areas. It is useful to know these call
numbers in order to browse works that may be of great help
in research. Some other useful materials are located in
other places based upon the predominant subject content, so
don't rely solely on these areas but instead think broadly.
For example, there are books about education or economics
that have substantial information relevant to Spain but
they located in the areas for their respective disciplines
instead of the general area for Spain. Think
interdisciplinary and look around in order to achieve the
most effective results in your research.
Spanish History: DP1 - DP402
Spanish Literature: PQ6001 - PQ8929
Gale Literary Series Reference Rows 3 -
4
The titles Literary Criticism from 1400-1800,
Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, Twentieth
Century Literary Criticism, Contemporary Literary
Criticism, and Contemporary Authors are all
wonderful tools for locating information. These should be
among the first sources consulted by students beginning
research on Hispanic Literature. On top of the shelves
there is a cumulative index for all of these volumes
published by Gale. The entries are authoritative, critical,
bibliographic, and often have illustrations.
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Encyclopedias
Enciclopedia de historia de España
DP12 .E53 1988
This is a seven volume set published by Alianza-Editorial,
one of the most notable publishers in Spain. Each volume
treats, in chronological order, certain aspects of Spain's
history within economic, societal, religious, and cultural
contexts. In volume three there is a lengthy section on
literature. Volumes five and six are biographical and
thematic dictionaries respectively. In the final volume of
the set under the heading "Bibliotecas y libros" there are
great sections for information on the history of libraries,
the book, and encyclopedias and dictionaries specifically. It
also contains a section dealing with journalism as a fountain
for history.
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture
DP233.5 .E63 1999
This publication has a "Thematic Entry List" and under the heading
"Literature" there are 25 entries. There are also the topics
"intellectual life", "media", "cultural institutions", "critical
theory", and "writers". This is an excellent resource,
very rich and up-to-date in its analysis.
Encyclopedia of the Renaissance
CB361 .E52 1999
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The Golden Age of Spain corresponded roughly to the
same time as the Renaissance, so it makes sense that
there is much information found in this volume relating
to Spanish literature. Under the heading "Spanish
Literature and Language" there is a good survey of
issues concerning the poetry, drama, prose, and
spiritual writings that occurred in the peninsula
during the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries. Of
particular value is the "See also" section at the end
of the article that directs students to other entries
in the work such as "Picaresque Novel", "Pastoral", and
"Romance of Chivalry".
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Enciclopedia universal ilustrada
AE61 .E6 1908a
This is a seventy-volume set whose strength is not
necessarily in the core work, which in itself has good
information on pre-twentieth century works, but in the annual
supplements appearing about every two or three years right up
to the 2000 publication. In these supplements, there is a
wealth of information on the current state of literature in
Spain. Especially since the death of Franco in 1975, the
annual entries under "Literatura" have grown every year and
now even include dust jacket images, portraits, and pullout
timelines. It is a yearbook of sorts that is great for
gaining a view from a particular time period beginning with
the Spanish Civil War to the present.
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Dictionaries
Historical Dictionary of Modern Spain 1700-1988.
DP192 .H57 1990
This is a good resource for brief descriptions of major
literary figures and movements. It has special treatment of
the Spanish Civil War and a "wide sweep" of the past three
centuries. Its scope is a "quick reference for a broad range
of material for those interested in basic information."
Seventy scholars contributed information so the content is
very authoritative. One of the most interesting sections is
the list of journals published in and outside of Spain. From
this list a student can get an idea of what are the major
outlets for literature and criticism in the country. If
brief, authoritative information is the goal, this volume is
very useful.
Diccionario de filosofía
B45 .F4 1994
Although Spain does not have the philosophical tradition of
other countries such as Germany and France, the literature of
Spain is often very closely linked to the discipline of
philosophy. Miguel de Unamuno and Jose Ortega y Gassett,
while more widely known for their literary talents, are just
two examples of writers who were profoundly affected by the
study of philosophy and whose literary production invariably
shows deep traces of this type of dedication. This four
volume set has a classic dictionary format with entries of
many literary figures as well as under such topics as
"Expresion" and "Obra literaria". There are also
bibliographical references and a handy chronological guide to
the entries. It offers a unique perspective to the study of
literature showcasing its connections with the field of
philosophy and metaphysical thought.
Diccionario del cine español
PN1993.5 S7 D54 1998
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Those seeking information about literature as it
relates to the big screen, or vice-versa, will find
this to be an important work. Especially in the silent
film era, many movie productions were based upon
popular literary works. Here you can find information
about the most important ones, as well as entries
exploring the connections of the literary generations
of '27 and '98 to film. This volume is best utilized
together with the other volumes shelved adjacent to it
(Guide to the Cinema of Spain, Enciclopedia del cine
espanol) as a cross-reference for titles, chronology,
cinematic serials, etc. Used in this way, the
especially good features from particular volumes can be
combined with the other strong features from other
volumes.
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Diccionario de agudezas, dichos y ocurrencias
PN 6095 .S5 D49 1989
Much like Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, this book is a
directory of famous and not so famous quotations in Spanish.
It is also a little more difficult to use since there is no
index for author, only subject, but it is important
nonetheless. There are quotes from international figures but
the emphasis is on the ones from Spain, especially Unamuno
and Cervantes to name but a few. Here you can find their
opinions and observations on topics ranging from abagado
(lawyer) to zanahoria (carrot).
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Social Sciences
Handbook of Spanish Popular Culture
DP48 .S68 1999
If one takes a liberal perspective of what constitutes
literature, this is a key resource. Chapter nine concerns the
press and has a colloquial tone in its examination of Spanish
journalism. Chapter ten, Popular Literature, is particularly
interesting. It looks at the oral tradition, the sentimental
novel, comics, and thrillers in detail. Also there is some
discussion of spy, pornographic, and horror literature but
not much since, in the words of the author, they "don't tell
much about Spain". It has a good analysis of the general plot
structure of the respective genres and their connections
found in Spanish life.
Countries and Their Cultures
GN307 .C68 2001
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Like the Cultural Atlas of Spain and Portugal, this 4
volume set richly depicts the culture of Spain focusing
on aspects such as social stratification, politics,
kinship, economy, food and many others, including
literature. It is very up-to-date and good for getting
a broad overview of what factors have contributed to
the creation of its literature.
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Atlases
Cultural Atlas of Spain and Portugal
DP17 .V56 1994
As far as specific literary topics, "Federico Garcia Lorca"
and the "Spanish Mystics" are treated with full color
sections. But the real strength of this work is the way that
it integrates the literature of Spain within the context of
Spanish political, social, and religious cultural phenomena.
Marvelous illustrations and succinct analysis make this a
valuable resource. Also included are a gazetteer,
bibliography, glossary, maps, and an excellent paella recipe.
Included in the index under "Literature" are also the terms
Generation of 1898 and 1927, the picaresque novel, realism,
and the regional novel.
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Statistics
Anuario estadistico de España.
HA1543 .A52
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This work is an incredible resource for statistics on
practically every imaginable topic. The statistics are
broadly grouped into chapters such as the environment,
transportation, communication, health, education, and
politics just to name but a few.
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Internet Resources
Follow this link to the UNC-Chapel Hill Latin American and
Iberian Resources page of
Internet resources. However, don't rely solely on
electronic sources for information because much fundamental
knowledge in Latin American studies can only be gained from
print sources. Finally, and this goes without saying, if
the Latin American / Iberian Resources and/or Reference
department can help you anyway with your research, please
don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
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