Sample Searches

Contemporary Authors Sample Searches

Contemporary Authors provides complete biographical and bibliographical information on more than 120,000 U.S. and international authors.

Search 1:

How can one find a list of literary works by the science fiction writer Harlan Ellison?

Solution:

1. Open Contemporary Authors and enter the "Author search" page.
2. Enter "Harlan Ellison" in the entry box and click on the "Search" button.
3. A profile of the author is retrieved that includes a list of his literary works.

Search 2:

Who was the author of the science fiction classic Nine Tomorrows and when did this book first come out?

Solution:

1. Open Contemporary Authors and go to the "Title search" page.
2. Enter "Nine Tomorrows" in the entry box.
3. Click on the "Search" button to retrieve a profile of the author Isaac Asimov.
4. Clicking on the link to the profile and then on the "Writings" link reveal that this book was published in 1959.

Search 3:

Who won the Newbery Medal in 2001 and for what book?

Solution:

1. Open Contemporary Authors and go to the "Advanced search" page.
2. Select "Text Word (tx)" and enter "Newbery Medal 2001" in the first entry box.
3. Click on the "Search" button to retrieve a profile of the author Richard (Wayne) Peck.
4. Clicking on the link to the profile and then looking under the "Award(s):" heading reveal that the author received this award for his book A Year Down Yonder.

Search 4:

What is George Orwell's real name?

Solution:

1. Open Contemporary Authors and enter the "Author search" page.
2. Enter "George Orwell" in the entry box and click on the "Search" button.
3. A profile of the author is retrieved under the name "Eric (Arthur) Blair".

Search 5:

How many authors in Contemporary Authors have written in the genre of animal tales?

Solution:

1. Open Contemporary Authors and go to the "Subject guide search" page.
2. Enter "animal tales" in the entry box and click on the "Search" button.
3. A list of more than 10 author profiles were retrieved.