Thanks to Doris Dixon (Raleigh) for this excellent post:
Available through the library database “Literature Resource Center,” Literature and Its Times: Profiles of 300 Notable Literary Works and the Historical Events That Influence Them, is an invaluable resource for students trying to understand the historical context of such works of fiction as Beowulf, Antigone, The Color Purple, and The Bean Trees.
Students will find summaries of significant events, cultural movements, etc. For example, the entry for The Catcher in the Rye, includes information about “Conformity in Postwar Society” and “Postwar Attitudes Toward Women.” Suggestions for further reading are also included.
Reference copies of the five volume set are available at East Shelby.
To access Literature and Its Times online :
1. Open the database “Literature Resource Center.”
2. Perform a search for the work of fiction.
3. Click the tab for “Topic and Work Overviews.”
This resource was originally published in 1997. Hopefully it will be updated soon to include recently published titles.
