Overview of the country
Reading about India
Books
Encyclopedias
Browsing Areas and Subject Headings
Newspapers
Travel Guides
Travel Web Sites
Films
Geography and Maps
Languages
Whether you need a general overviews or specific facts on India, encyclopedias are a good place to start your search for information. When choosing an encyclopedia, ask yourself how broad your question is. If you're looking for basic information on the population size, history, major cultural divisions, and so forth, a general encyclopedia like Encyclopaedia Britannica would be a wise choice. If you want to know about marriage customs in Kerala state, or the history of a particular political party, choose an encyclopedia that's entirely dedicated to India. You may also want to visit the reference rooms in Davis or the Undergraduate Library to look through reference books on the shelves.
Several good general encyclopedias are:
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1996-.
Available electronically as
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia
The New Encyclopaedia Britannica. 15th ed. Chicago: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2002.
Davis Reference, UL Reference, and many departmental libraries AE5 .E363 2002
Also available electronically as
Britannica Online
Several good encyclopedias about India are:
Encyclopedia of India. Ed. Stanley A. Wolpert. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2006.
This four-volume illustrated encyclopedia contains hundreds of articles on topics including historical figures, regions of India, relations with other nations, and specific cultures of the past and present.
Davis Reference DS405 .E556 2006
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of World Folklore and Folklife. Ed. William M. Clements and Thomas A. Green. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2006.
This book focuses on traditional, often rural cultures around the world. It provides information and illustrations related to Indian artforms, manners, and customs.
Information and Library Science Library Reference GR35 .G75 2006
