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English 4188/7188: Victorian Women Writers:The Brontë Family: Publishing/Reviewing/Reading

Resources supporting Prof. Elizabeth Chang's class on the Bronte family.

Scholarly databases

Use these to find research on publishing, periodicals, reading habits, authorship, book history etc. The boxes below suggest some additional resources and intriguing books.

Background on Periodicals

Use these resources for quick background information on specific serials:

  • Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals
    Click on "browse" to search by publication title. This displays extensive introductory material with notes on additional sources.
  • Dictionary of Nineteenth Century Journalism
    The DNCJ also has very useful background information on periodicals, publishers, editors, printers, distributors, and topics. Click on Browse at the bottom of the search page for a helpful overview.
  • Waterloo Directory of English Newspapers & Periodicals: 1800-1900
    The Waterloo Directory provides detailed descriptions of over 70,000 newspapers and magazines, including physical description, prices, related publications, and additional sources of information.
  • Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature, vol. 4, sec. 16 "Newspapers and Magazines"
    Reference PR83 .N45 1999
  • The Nineteenth-Century Periodical Press in Britain: A Bibliography of Modern Studies 1901 to 1971
    lists studies of individual periodicals that may contain useful information.
    Z6956.G6 M3, stacks 1 West
  • Victorian Periodicals Newsletter (1968-1978) and Victorian Periodicals Review (1979-present) provide updates.

Victorian Periodicals: A Guide to Research (Reference PN 5124 .P4 V5)

  • "Appendix A: A Descriptive Guide to the Contents of the Stamp Returns, 1824-70," indicates where to find records of the tax on periodicals in the parliamentary papers.
  • "Appendix B: Some Sample Circulations Derived from the Stamp Returns, 1829-54," provides estimates of circulation derived from the tax returns for a sample of periodicals.

For more like this, see: English Periodicals History 19th Century

On Reading Habits & the Reviewing of Books

Dictionary of Nineteenth Century Journalism
The DNCJ has background information on book reviews, reviewers, and reviewing. Click on Browse at the bottom of the search page for a helpful overview.