Bibliography of Books on Academia,
Academic Success, Academic Writing, and Publishing
Compiled by Michele Tracy Berger (Political Science
and Women’s Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas)
1) Paula J. Caplan. 1993. Lifting a Ton of Feathers: A Woman’s Guide to Surviving in the Academic World.
This is a classic in the field of examining women’s experiences in academia. Drawn from a wide research base in Canada, Caplan looks at the serious impediments that face female academicians. More than anything else she cites the "maleness" of academic environments, even ones which purport to support women faculty and graduate students. She deconstructs prevalent myths about academia (e.g., meritocracy, individualism, etc.) and prevalent myths about women (e.g., a "good" women doesn’t get angry, women are naturally endlessly nurturing, a "good" woman doesn’t ask for much) that both female and male academicians need to understand and confront. The first half of the book revolves around these central concerns. The later half explores options, strategies, and practices that help to empower women. An excellent and eye-opening read.
2) Eleanor Harman and Ian Montagues. 1976. Eds. The Thesis and The Book.
Considered the authoritative text on how to turn one’s dissertation into a book. With chapter titles like "The dissertation’s deadly sins" and "Avoiding the warmed-over dissertation," the main emphasis throughout the book is that a recently minted Ph.D. should be extremely reticent in deciding to write a book from a dissertation. There are some solid chapters on revision, style, form, and length if one does decide to turn a dissertation into a book. Its tone is sometimes condescending, and the style of language, in certain places, makes it difficult to read.
3) Beth Huey. 1995. (3rd ed.) The Handbook for Academic Authors.
This comprehensive volume covers all aspects of academic writing (dissertation, journal article, electronic), demystifies the process of finding a publisher (textbook, academic, and commercial) and working with a publisher (including the nitty-gritty of preparing a manuscript pof publication to what types of perks to negotiate with publishers for). It also covers electronic manuscripts, and the perils and pitfalls of multi-author books and anthologies. It is an excellent read. Highly recommended if you want to understand the pushes and pulls that publishers face, and how to make your interactions with them smoother.
4) Robin Derricourt. 1996. An Author’s Guide To Scholarly Publication.
This book is structured as a series of letters that potential editors and authors write to another. It covers much of the same material that the above work does, except it has comprehensive suggestions for what actually goes into a book proposal, and I think the advice is invaluable. The book delves into specific concerns like how to get you book into the developing world., getting translations of your book, how to get radio and television coverage, and library sales. Although the format is at first off-putting, there is much to be gained form the information. Highly recommended.
5) Joseph Moxley and Todd Taylor. 1997. Eds. Writing and Publishing for Academic Authors.
This is a superb collection of essays, focusing on everything from reducing the anxiety of writing that academics often feel to chapters in "Publishing Scholarship in Humanistic Disciplines: Joining the Conversation," "Reviewing Scholarly Books," "Writing a Successful Textbook Proposal," and "Writing a Winning Grant Proposal." They also tackle topics like: how and when to collaborate, writing for commercial publication and issues of Internet publishing.
This book helps authors understand dominant myths about academic writing (e.g., it’s supposed to be easy, it has to be all or nothing, it has to be stressful, etc.) and suggests strategies for overcoming unproductive habits and anxieties. Excellent.
6) Joseph Moxley. 1992. Publish, Don’t Perish: The Scholar’s Guide to Academic Writing and Publishing. If I was going to recommend any one book as a must buy, it would be this one. An earlier precursor to the work above, it focuses on the practice of writing. This is a classic in the field.
Here are other books which I have seen but haven’t had the chance to read:
1) Black Women in the Academy: Promises and Pitfalls. By Lois Benjamin.
2) Ms. Mentor’s Guide to Women in Academe. By Emily Toth.
3) Writing for Scholarly Publication. By Anne Huff.
4) A Guide to Academic Writing. By. Jeffrey A. Cantor.
5) Professional Academic Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences. By Susan Peck.
6) Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start. By Howard Becker.
7) Tricks of the Trade. By Howard Becker.
8) The Craft of Research. By Wayne Booth.
9) Spirit, Space, and Survival: African-American Women in (White) Academe. By Joy James and Ruth Farmer.
10) Faculty of Color in Academe: Bittersweet Success. By Caroline Sotello Viernes Turner and Samuel L. Myers, Jr.