There are many general reference sources on English writers, female writers, and/or “contemporary” writers or writers of the 20th century. However, entries on Byatt in these works may be very short or outdated in some cases. The following are some general resources that Byatt researchers should find helpful:
Clark, Alex. “Byatt [née Drabble]. A(ntonia) S(usan).” The Cambridge Guide to Women's Writing in English. Ed. Lorna Sage. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999. 105.
Davis Reference PR111.C353 1999
Byatt is given half a page in this useful reference work. The entry provides a basic biographical outline as well as a brief overview of Byatt’s literary concerns. Her fictional and nonfictional works are mentioned briefly, with special attention devoted to Possession. This source will be useful for a researcher who knows virtually nothing about Byatt or just needs some quick facts (e.g., publication dates). Perhaps the most helpful feature is the cross-references.
Engel, Laura. “A.S. Byatt.” British Writers: Supplement IV. Ed. Jay Parini. New York: Scribner’s, 1997. 139–156.
Davis Reference Row 4 PR85.B688 Suppl.
Engel’s long essay on Byatt covers all of Byatt’s work through Babel Tower. It is extremely detailed (the sections on each book should not be read by those who don’t want the plots ruined for them!), and Engel helpfully attempts to identify connections between the various works. The introductory and “Background” sections are particularly useful. Engel uses Byatt’s nonfiction work Passions of the Mind (1993) as a framework to organize her discussion of Byatt’s concerns and career. There is a helpful bibliography at the end of the essay.
Koundoura, Maria. “A.S. Byatt 1936–.” Modern British Women Writers: An A-to-Z Guide. Ed. Vicki K. Janik and Del Ivan Janik. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002. 56–62.
Davis Reference PR116.M63 2002
Koundoura’s article is divided into sections on “Background,” “Analysis,” “Assessment,” and “Bibliography.” Fortunately, “Analysis” and “Assessment” are the longest sections—they provide different information than other, similar resources listed in this pathfinder. Koundoura succinctly discusses Byatt’s feminism, realism, postmodernism, and interest in art, all subjects that are covered in more depth by the various book-length studies listed here. Koundoura’s references to other critical works will help researchers determine where to go next in exploring a particular area.
Wheeler, Kathleen. “A.S. Byatt 1936–.” A Guide to Twentieth-Century Women Novelists. Oxford, UK; Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 1998. pp. 257–258.
Davis Reference and Davis 7th Floor PR888.W6 W44 1998
Byatt is given nearly a page and a half in this book. Her work through The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye (1994) is mentioned, but only the first two books of her Powerhouse tetralogy (The Virgin in the Garden and Still Life) and Possession are discussed in any detail. The last paragraph provides an interesting general critique of Byatt as a writer who attempts “an overt fusion of realism and modernism” (258); the author compares this technique with those of other authors struggling with the same dual influences and then with others who attempt the fusion. Ultimately, Wheeler declares Byatt’s fusion less satisfactory than those achieved by several other authors.