Biographical Dictionary of Literary Influences: The Nineteenth Century, 1800-1914. (Reference Books).(Review)

Biographical dictionary of literary influences: the nineteenth century, 1800-1914. Ed. by John Powell. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 2001. 536p. alkaline $95 (ISBN 0-313-30422-X). www.greenwood.com

In creating this work, Powell works from the premise that "identifying certain patterns about the relationship between reading, achievement, and culture will enlarge our understanding regarding the pivotal role of reading in the creation of the social, economic, and political institutions that continue to characterize the Western world view" (preface). This selective dictionary highlights 271 subjects from a variety of disciplines including music, art, education, philosophy, …