Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Harris-Fain, Darren. (Ed.). Dictionary of Literary Biography (Vol. 255: British Fantasy and Science-Fiction Writers, 1918-1960). Detroit: The Gale Group, 2002.

[Davis Library Reference Collection Row 3 PS21 .D5185 1978 v.255]

Easily the most in-depth of the dictionary and encyclopedia sources, this entry particularly focuses on Peake's trilogy of Titus Groan novels. Includes 3 photographs, an illustration of the Gormenghast dust jacket, and a reproduction of a letter to Peake's lifelong friend Gordon Smith. This entry also includes the definitive print Mervyn Peake bibliography, references to 20 scholarly articles regarding Mervyn Peake, and information regarding the repository housing the Mervyn Peake Papers.

Magill, Frank N. (Ed.). Cyclopedia of World Authors II (Vol. 3-Kem-Pyn). Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 1997.

[Davis Library 7th Floor PN451 .C93 1997]

A concise, well written entry, this resource is noteworthy for its discussion regarding how Peake's prose and drawing talents fed off of each other as well as the reasons Peake's literary fame, while notable, still wanes in comparison to J.R.R. Tolkien.

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Pederson, Jay P. (Ed.). St. James Guide to Science Fiction Writers (4th ed.). New York: St. James Press, 1996.

[Undergraduate Library Reference Collection PS374 .S35 S68 1996]

I included this resource to demonstrate how Peake's Titus Groan novels appeal to a diverse litany of literary sub-genres, in this case science fiction. Insightful analysis dominates the entry and is complemented by an excellent bibliography and the salient points of Mervyn Peake's life. Great use of white space on the page layout makes this entry rapidly informative if one needs to utilize this resource for quick fact checking.

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Something About the Author. Facts and Pictures About Authors and Illustrators of Books for Young People (vol. 23). Detroit: Gale Research, 1981.

[Information and Library Science Library Reference Collection PN451 .S6]

The milestone events which shaped Mervyn Peake's life and fuelled his artistic output are vividly brought to life with insightful quotations from Peake's writings and conversations with his wife Maeve. Includes 2 photographs and 4 illustrations, plus a detailed list of Peake's art exhibitions.

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Williams, E.T. & Nicholls, C.S. (Ed.). Dictionary of National Biography 1961-1970. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.

[Davis Library Reference Collection DA28 .D47 Suppl. 1961/70]

This entry wonderfully evokes the rich atmosphere of Gormenghast castle in the first 2 Titus Groan novels and vividly, with a hint of condescension, describes Peake's unconventional mode of fashion and mannerisms deemed alien to his contemporary society's norms.

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