Background information can be found in reference sources, online or in print, such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks.
NOTE: below are examples of resources the Library offers. Use the catalog to conduct additional searches.
Dictionary of Latin American Cultural Studies by
The Dictionary of Latin American Cultural Studies is a fundamental reference for students, pedagogues, and investigators interested in understanding the terminology of the field.
Historical Dictionary of Latin American Literature and Theater by
The Historical Dictionary of Latin American Literature and Theater provides users with an accessible single-volume reference tool covering Portuguese-speaking Brazil and the 16 Spanish-speaking countries of continental Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela). Entries for authors, ranging from the early colonial period to the present, give succinct biographical data and an account of the author's literary production, with particular attention to their most prominent works and where they belong in literary history. The introduction provides a review of Latin American literature and theater as a whole while separate dictionary entries for each country offer insight into the history of national literatures. Entries for literary terms, movements, and genres serve to complement these commentaries, and an extensive bibliography points the way for further reading. The comprehensive view and detailed information obtained from all these elements will make this book of use to the general-interest reader, Latin American studies students, and the academic specialist.
The Oxford Dictionary of Plays by
Anyone with an academic, professional, amateur, or recreational interest in the theatre is likely to want to look up details of particular plays sometimes - perhaps to check on the author, or on when they were first performed, or perhaps to see how many characters they have, and whether or notthey would be suitable for their theatre company or drama group to perform.The Oxford Dictionary of Plays provides essential information on the 1000 best-known, best-loved, and most important plays in world theatre. Each entry includes details of title, author, date of composition, date of first performance, genre, setting, and the composition of the cast, and more. A synopsis of the plot and a brief commentary, perhaps on the context of the play, or the reasons for its enduring popularity, follow. Around 80 of the most significant plays - from The Oresteia to Waiting for Godot - are dealt with in more detail.
Encyclopedia of Caribbean Literature by
The Caribbean is a part of the world with diverse cultures and a long and fascinating literary tradition. The people of this region have endured through civil strife, poverty, natural disasters, and military conflicts; and their literature reflects their despair and dreams. Accessible to students and general readers, this encyclopedia overviews the lives and works of Caribbean authors. Because Caribbean literature is so much a reflection of regional concerns, the encyclopedia gives special attention to the political, cultural, and historical contexts in which Caribbean authors have lived and worked.
The Encyclopedia of Latin American and Caribbean Art by
The nearly 1,400 articles in this volume cover all the major artistic developments in Central and South America and the Caribbean from the colonial period to the present. From 16th-century Spanish colonial architects such as Fray Andres San Miguel to European explorers such as Alexander vonHumboldt to contemporary artists such as Debora Arango, the entries chart the adaptations of European artistic traditions and the evolution of individual national cultures.
Latin American and Caribbean Cultures by
This vast three-volume Encyclopediaoffers more than 4000 entries on all aspects of the dynamic and exciting contemporary cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean. Its coverage is unparalleled with more than 40 regions discussed and a time-span of 1920 to the present day. "Culture" is broadly defined to include food, sport, religion, television, transport, alongside architecture, dance, film, literature, music and sculpture. The international team of contributors include many who are based in Latin America and the Caribbean making this the most essential, authoritative and authentic Encyclopediafor anyone studying Latin American and Caribbean studies.