Product Description

Although the fantastic impulse has been embodied in folklore, literature, art, and film, distinguished work has always been uncommon. This guide directs readers and viewers to the best, better, or historically important works of the fantastic imagination, as well as to the scholarship that helps us understand their nature and appeal. Arranged chronologically, narrative introductions provide historical and analytical perspectives on the period or subjects covered while annotated bibliographies describe and evaluate the books and other materials judged most significant for literary, extraliterary, or historical reasons. More than 2,300 works of fiction and poetry are discussed, each cross-referenced to other works with similar or contrasting themes. Winners and nominees for major awards are identified. Books that are part of a series are flagged, with a complete list of books in series included in a final chapter, along with a comprehensive list of awards, of translations, and of young adult and children's books. A chapter on teaching fantasy and horror literature provides aid for teachers of every experience level, from high school through college. Fantastic illustration, films, TV and radio, and Internet sites are all discussed in detail. Comprehensive, up-to-date, carefully organized with multiple indexes, this guide will appeal to anyone with the slightest interest in fantastic literature, film, or illustration.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1717967 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 832 pages

From School Library Journal
Two previously separate volumes-Horror Literature and Fantasy Literature (both Garland, 1990)-are extensively revised and combined here. A companion to Barron's Anatomy of Wonder (Bowker, 1995), this selective guide includes articles on horror and fantasy poetry, reference and online resources, author studies, comics, teaching fantasy and horror literature, magazines, and more. All this is in addition to the lengthy annotations of the selected titles that are divided into chronological categories (e.g., "Fantasy in the Nineteenth Century, 1812-1899"; "Early Modern Horror Fiction, 1897-1949"; "From Baum to Tolkien, 1900-1956"; etc.). Few would quibble with the more than 2300 critically selected works that run the gamut from Stephen King to "Winnie the Pooh." The introductions to each section are analytical and knowledgeable, and the thorough indexes of authors, titles, and themes are invaluable. One tiny editing complaint-numerous pages in the "Contemporary Fantasy, 1957-1998" chapter are incorrectly headed "1957-1988."-Bette Ammon, Missoula Public Library, MT
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Using the same general format as his groundbreaking guide to science fiction, Anatomy of Wonder (Bowerk, 1995. 4th ed.), Barron and his colleagues guide the reader through the best primary and secondary literature in the two broad categories of fantasy and horror, written from 1762 to 1998. They provide extensive annotations and brief (one-paragraph) essays on each subtopic or item. In this enormous enterprise, Barron covers fiction, poetry, authors, media, the web, organizations, etc. Since the individual authors intermix fantasy and horror materials, the reader interested in only one genre is forced to scan through numerous citations in both genres to find relevant items. Separating the two within each chapter, whenever possible, would have made for easier access. Though this easily replaces all earlier broad genre guides, some genre separatists might be uncomfortable with the liberal intermix of fantasy, sf, Gothic, and horror. In fact, this remains two excellent reference books not quite comfortably rolled into one. Nonetheless, it is recommended for all public and academic collections.AAnthony J. Adam, Prairie View A&M Univ. Lib., Houston
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Neil Barron has worked in academic, special, and public libraries. He edited four editions of the standard critical guide to science fiction, "Anatomy of Wonder," and in 1982 received the Pilgrim award for his overall contributions to SF and fantasy scholarship.

Customer Reviews

A Marvelous Reference
This marvelous reference book has chapters covering fantasy fiction, horror fiction, poetry in both genres, reference sources, teaching approaches, fantasy art and illustration, a theme index, and animation (film, television, radio). Two reservations kept me from judging the book a 5: it is a bit dated with few bibliographic references more recent than 1997, and it has some remarkable gaps of coverage. For example, neither Margaret Weis nor Tracy Hickman (nor the two as collaborators) appear; the book makes no reference to J. K. Rowling, either. A reference ignoring both the Dragonlance series of more than 150 novels and the widely popular and influential novels starring Harry Potter (at least the first one) desperately needs revision.