By Forris Day JR
Science fiction writing has been around since Mary Shelly wrote “Frankenstein” and perhaps even longer. Although the term “science fiction” did not exist until many years after Shelly created her horror icon monster, that is what she penned; a science fiction story. The “Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction in Literature” is a wonderful reference book covering the topic of science fiction as it relates to literature. The book starts with a chronology that takes the reader step by step through the development of science fiction from it’s very beginning right up to the present. The introduction of the book talks about offshoots of science fiction and it’s many styles. Important authors and their works are also discussed.
The meat of this tome is of course the dictionary. The dictionary has hundreds of entries which include authors, books, events, and terminology among others. It is a very comprehensive and well researched reference tool. Everything is cross referenced throughout so as you are doing research you are constantly being guided to other topics to expand upon your knowledge. It is a fun book just to open to any page and pick up a bit of information about a person or thing in the science fiction field. The biographies of the authors are particular interest to me because I enjoy learning about people. It is pretty interesting learning what some of these authors accomplished and did throughout their lives.
This is an ideal reference book for students, teachers and writers in general. It is a extraordinary starting point for investigating a topic because the book guides you to other publications for further research if needed. At nearly 400 pages long it isn’t the most comprehensive guide but it certainly has a wealth of information inside it’s covers. It is well worth adding to your bookshelf if you are a fan or writer of sci-fi.
This is just one of nearly 100 books in the “Historical Dictionary” series put out by Rowman & Littlefield publishers. The dictionaries cover subjects such as music, theater, cinema, animation, radio, and television. There is a reference dictionary for just about any topic a writer or researcher would need. Pick up a copy of any of these books for yourself or ask your local library if they carry it. These books will help make you a more knowledgeable writer, researcher and fan.
