Printed Introductory Sources

Printed Introductory Sources:

Bataille, Gretchen, and Laurie Lisa, eds. Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary. Second edition. New York: Routledge, 2001. Davis E98.W8 B38 2001

This dictionary has chosen women from the mid1800s to present time, and provides entries varying from paragraph to one-page long. The entries end in bibliographical references for further study, and some entries are illustrated. Indexes are arranged by area of specialization, tribe, birth date, and state or province of birth.

Bataille, Gretchen, and Kathleen M. Sands. American Indian Women: A Guide to Research. Women’s History and Culture; 4. New York: Garland, 1991. Davis Z1209.2 .N67 B36 1991

This is an annotated bibliography arranged by subject area. The subject areas most applicable to Native American women writers are the chapters on Literature and Criticism, and on Autobiography, Biography, and Interviews. Books and articles annotated go back at least to 1891, for the first novel known to be published by a Native woman (Sophia Callahan’s Wynema). Its age is an issue, but its breadth and uniqueness make this a valuable resource.

Johansen, Bruce E. and Donald A. Grinde, Jr. Encyclopedia of Native American Biography: Six Hundred Life Stories of Important People, from Powhatan to Wilma Mankiller. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1997. Davis Ref. E89.J69 1997

This resource provides brief biographical essays with some black and white illustrations of the six hundred chosen persons. Each entry refers the reader to a source for further information. The index includes personal names, tribal names, major events (eg., the American Revolution), topics, and titles to facilitate entry to the articles.

Malinowski, Sharon, ed. Notable Native Americans. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1995. Davis Ref. E89.N67 1995

This biographical dictionary has 265 entries, covering politics, law, journalism, science, medicine, religion, art, literature, and other occupations. Many of the entries are accompanied by photographs, and all are signed. Entries include, after the biographical material, selective bibliographies and sources for further study.

Roemer, Kenneth M. Native American Writers of the United States. Dictionary of Literary Biography, vol. 175. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1997. Davis Ref. Row 3 (PS21 .D5185 1978, vol. 175 )

Part of an important series, this well put-together volume includes 43 writers, including 19 women. All articles are signed, and follow a pattern: bibliography, essay including biography and criticism of works, and notes for biography, references, and further study. More than half the authors in the volume are still living; the recent renaissance of Native literature justifies this choice. This volume is an important starting point for further research.

Sonneborn, Liz. A to Z of Native American Women. New York: Facts on File, 1998. Davis E98.W8 S65 1998

This biographical dictionary provides brief entries on 100 Native women, many illustrated with black and white photographs, and including bibliographies for further study.

Whitson, Kathy J. Native American Literatures: An Encyclopedia of Works, Characters, Authors, and Themes. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1999. Davis Ref. PS153.I52 W47 1999

This volume succeeds in its task—readers can access in alphabetical order the authors, titles, themes, and characters of the major Native American writers. Examples of important characters range from Abel, from Momaday’s House Made of Dawn, to Tayo, from Silko’s Ceremony. Examples of theme or topic treated in this encyclopedia include land allotments on reservations, bridging cultures, and racism. An extensive bibliography and indexes make this encyclopedia more helpful.

Wiget, Andrew, ed. Handbook of Native American Literature. New York ; London: Garland, 1996. Davis Ref. PM155 .D53 1996

This handbook puts together critical essays covering topics related to many aspects of native literature, from its emergence to teaching native literature to the new native theater, along with biographical essays on a variety of famous writers. All entries are signed, written by experts in the field who give their credentials and a bibliography for further study.

Witalec, Janet, et al, eds. Native North American Literature: Biographical and Critical Information on Native Writers and Orators from the United States and Canada from Historical Times to the Present. Detroit, MI: Gale Research, 1994. Davis Ref. PS508.I5 N38 1994

This resource might compare favorably to Roemer’s Native American Writers of the United States in coverage. Entrants are divided by Oral or Written Literature, and include men and women from the colonial period to now. The table of contents has a brief biographical statement about the statement, and the entries themselves follow this pattern: author heading, introductory essay, major works, critical essays about the writer, and sources for further study. This encyclopedia includes maps of tribes and indexes by tribe, genre, and title. The selection of critical essays is the best feature of this work.