Books & literature
Also on this page: Choosing books | Book groups | Festivals, events & awards | Studying literature | Online books | For & about writers | Poetry | Plays | Languages other than English | Booksellers | Fun sites
Key links
Search online reference books on literature from: Oxford Reference Online [24/7]
- including several major encyclopedias such as the Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature and the Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature.
Contemporary Authors [24/7]
Biographical (incl. contact details) and comprehensive bibliographical information on more than 100,000 modern authors, from novelists to screen-writers, poets to journalists.
Writers' and Artists' Yearbook [24/7]
Resource for writers, including details of publishers, literary prizes and advice.
[Can't get in to these resources?]
Reading with Westminster Libraries
Links to the readers' and writers' communities hosted by Westminster Libraries, suggested reading lists and information about current book and reading promotions.
Sherlock Holmes Collection
Part of Westminster Libraries: a large collection on Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Children's books and authors: See Webtastic!
Book Trust
Information and news from the organisation committed to bringing books and readers together. Includes information about programmes to promote books and reading.
Choosing books (and book reviews)
Whichbook
Looking for a 'Disturbing', 'Unpredictable' yet 'Optimistic' book? Or one about 'Success Against the Odds'? This site can make suggestions according to what you fancy.
If You Like...
Books (or music) in a certain style or in the style of a particular author (or composer).
Bestsellers
List courtesy of the Guardian newspaper.
Fantastic Fiction
Bibliographies for over 30,000 authors, with brief biographies, reading lists and links to vendors.
List of book review sites
This list from the Complete Review site not only has links to a great many review pages but also tells you a little bit about each one.
Newspapers' books sections:
Independent, Daily Telegraph, Guardian; Daily Mail Bookclub and Washington Post. Plus book review publications: London Review of Books and Times Literary Supplement
Book groups
Book Group Online
Online forum site for readers everywhere [requires free registration to post]. Here's how it works.
Read
A great place to start to get into books and reading.
Random House Readers' Group
News, features and an extensive list of reading guides.
Richard & Judy Book Club
Summer reads and reading notes.
Oprah Winfrey's book club
Where Richard & Judy got the idea...
Festivals, events & awards
World Book Day and the National Year of Reading
2008 was a big year for reading; there are still lots of interesting resources on their Website.
British Arts Festivals
Contains a calendar, directory and maps for over 100 arts festivals across the UK.
Studying literature
Gale Literary Index
Index to literary resources from academic publisher Gale. Volumes in the series Nineteenth Century Literary Criticism, Twentieth Century Literary Criticism, Contemporary Literary Criticism, World Literature Criticism and many of the St. James's Press titles are available at Marylebone Information Service.
Internet for English
A 'teach-yourself' tutorial on Internet information skills for those studying English. Part of a wide range of subject-specific tutorials from the Virtual Training Suite.
Literary Criticism
Gateway to literary criticism by the Internet Public Library.
Luminarium
An anthology of Middle English, Renaissance, and 17th Century English literature, with essays and additional resources on their historical context.
Online books
Bibliomania
Full-text works by a large range of classic authors, as well as study guides.
Project Gutenberg, Online Books Page and the Bartleby Archive
Thousands of books online including audio books!
For & about writers
Westminster Writers' Groups
The groups aim to encourage the work of local writers through a mutual support network.
Writers' & Artists' Yearbook [24/7]
The website of the popular 'bible' for writers, with lots of free information, hints, tips and web links. Westminster Library members have access to the full text of the book - see the Key Links for details.
Contemporary writers in the UK
A resource compiled by the British Council and Book Trust, with detailed profiles on more than a hundred modern authors - many with critical assessments.
A Celebration of Women Writers
Links to sites about women writers.
Society of Authors
Poetry
Poetry Society
News and information about the national poetry scene, including links to useful websites.
Poetry Library
Poetry news and events and a poetry enquiry service.
Poetry Archive
Listen to poets from Abse to Yeats reading their own works.
Poetry links from BUBL
Plays
Shakespeare
The complete works online. You can search for phrases by surrounding them in inverted commas
Doollee.com
Huge database of modern plays and playwrights, including contact details.
Languages other than English
Intute arts & humanities: languages and literature
Scroll down the page on this site to browse resources on Languages, Literature, Historical and Cultural Studies.
Booksellers
Amazon UK
Reviews and rates books as well as selling them. Use Advanced Search for better search results.
Billybargain
Service comparing prices of the major Internet booksellers. Offers the track it service which keeps you informed if your chosen product drops below your specified price.
theBookGuide
Directory of second-hand & antiquarian bookdealers, book fairs & auctions in London & the UK. Also lists binders and related services.
UKBookWorld
Consortium of British second-hand bookdealers selling via the Web, maintained by The Clique, long established organisation offering services to the antiquarian book trade.
Abebooks
Worldwide database of second hand and out of print books. Search internationally or by country
Fun sites about books
FunTrivia literature
Vast number of quizzes on a range of literary themes, at all levels.
Not quite what you were looking for? See also: Libraries
Picture for title graphic: phaewilk/morguefile.com
Was this useful:
Whatever your interest, Westminster City Council welcomes and encourages you to get in touch with suggestions for improvements to the site. To make an enquiry click here
