The Literature section of the Humanities Department houses an impressive collection of fiction covering all genres. Mysterious works from Agatha Christie and Walter Mosley; romances from Catherine Coulter and Sandra Kitt; not to mention Science Fiction and Fantasy works from William Shatner and Margaret Weis.  "Big-name" authors such as John Grisham and Stephen King share space with less well-known, but still popular, works from Jan Karon and Jim Grimsley.

If you want a good book to read, this is the place to be. The Humanities Department staff is eager to help you select the kind of fiction you enjoy most.

So Many Books, So Little Time!

The Literature section has many different reference sources to help you locate the "perfect" book for you. Many of these sources allow you to choose your reading interest and make suggestions for further reading. Others deal with "serial" works which are more easily read in order of publication. Still others let you pick a particular genre and offer representative works from which to choose.  There are as many options and choices as there are books to explore! For the curious, we suggest checking out:

• Genreflecting  by Diana Trixler Herald
• What Do I Read Next?  Published year by Gale Research, Inc
  What Do I Read Next is also available online through GaleNet on the Databases on the Library Web page.
• Crime Fiction II: a comprehensive bibliography by Allen J. Hubin
• To Be Continued: an annotated guide to sequels by Merle Jacob
• The St. James Guide to Science Fiction Writers published by the St. James Press
• The Young Adult Reader's Adviser published by Bowker
• Gay and Lesbian Literature  published by the St. James Press

These are but a few of our many "Readers Advisory" sources that will get you well on your reading way. Other periodicals and references can also be found in the Readers Center, located next to the Literature Desk.

The Internet is also an excellent place for finding out more about fiction authors and their works.  Many of the print reference sources also have online counterparts, and several genres have pages devoted to further explorations.  Online bookstores such as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble offer a stunning array of information. Magazines such as Booklist from the American Library Association and Publishers Weekly share their reviews with a wide reading audience.  The online counterpart to Genreflecting can be found here. If you still can't find what you're looking for, check with our staff. We're here to help!

Genres

Mystery Links

The Mysterious Home Page has links to everything mysterious.

A Tangled Web is another good mystery link page.

Mayhem contains new book announcements, reviews and interviews.

Gumshoe is a terrific mystery site from Japan.

Dark Echo's Horror Web offers reviews of horror fiction.

Romance

The Romance Reader contains new reviews and archives. The site also breaks the romances into categories, including historical, contemporary and regency.

Romance Net is sponsored by Harlequin Enterprises, and features reviews of current fiction.

Romantic Notions trades in "speculative" romances and features time travel romances, ghost romances, and much more.

Romantic Times Online contains reviews from the Romantic Times periodical.

The Literary Times offers author profiles, coming attractions, and reviews for lovers of romantic romance fiction.

Science Fiction and Fantasy

LOCUS Online is the online version of the Sci-Fi periodical LOCUS.

Rutgers University's SF-Lovers Archive is another good sci-fi database.

The Fantasy Book List offers a good book list that focuses on fantasy novels.