Note: If you need to download and incorporate this list into your databases and systems, you need to purchase an End Users' License Agreement.

If you need more information on how to select a BISAC code go to our, we have a page that walks you through the process. If you can't find the code you're looking for please go back and review other Major Subjects to find an alternate code or use our Suggestion Form to suggest revisions to the next version of the list.

Step 2: Determine the specific term which describes your book. An asterisk (*) denotes a heading that is new for the 2017 Edition.

LITERARY CRITICISM

Works of literary criticism should be assigned subjects in this section only and not assigned subjects in sections designed for works written in a specific literary form (e.g., DRAMA).  Criticism of drama, poetry, or children's literature should be assigned "LITERARY CRITICISM / Drama", "LITERARY CRITICISM / Poetry" or "LITERARY CRITICISM / Children's & Young Adult Literature", respectively, along with any other subjects needed in this section.  Criticism of certain genres of fiction is also represented.

LIT000000      LITERARY CRITICISM / General

LIT004010      LITERARY CRITICISM / African

LIT004020      LITERARY CRITICISM / American / General

LIT004040      LITERARY CRITICISM / American / African American

LIT004030      LITERARY CRITICISM / American / Asian American

LIT004050      LITERARY CRITICISM / American / Hispanic American

LIT023000      LITERARY CRITICISM / American / Regional

LIT004190      LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical

LIT008000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Asian / General

LIT008010      LITERARY CRITICISM / Asian / Chinese

LIT008020      LITERARY CRITICISM / Asian / Indic

LIT008030      LITERARY CRITICISM / Asian / Japanese

LIT004070      LITERARY CRITICISM / Australian & Oceanian

LIT007000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Books & Reading

LIT004080      LITERARY CRITICISM / Canadian

LIT004100      LITERARY CRITICISM / Caribbean & Latin American

                      LITERARY CRITICISM / Central American & South American see Caribbean & Latin American

LIT009000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Children's & Young Adult Literature

                      LITERARY CRITICISM / Classical see Ancient & Classical

LIT017000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Comics & Graphic Novels

LIT020000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Comparative Literature

LIT013000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Drama

LIT004130      LITERARY CRITICISM / European / General

LIT004110      LITERARY CRITICISM / European / Eastern (see also Russian & Former Soviet Union)

LIT004120      LITERARY CRITICISM / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh

                      LITERARY CRITICISM / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh / Shakespeare see Shakespeare

LIT004150      LITERARY CRITICISM / European / French

LIT004170      LITERARY CRITICISM / European / German

LIT004200      LITERARY CRITICISM / European / Italian

LIT004250      LITERARY CRITICISM / European / Scandinavian

LIT004280      LITERARY CRITICISM / European / Spanish & Portuguese

LIT022000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology

                      LITERARY CRITICISM / Fantasy see Science Fiction & Fantasy

                      LITERARY CRITICISM / Far Eastern see headings under Asian

LIT003000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Feminist

LIT004180      LITERARY CRITICISM / Gothic & Romance

LIT021000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Horror & Supernatural

LIT016000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Humor

LIT004210      LITERARY CRITICISM / Jewish

LIT004160      LITERARY CRITICISM / LGBT

LIT011000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Medieval

LIT004220      LITERARY CRITICISM / Middle Eastern

LIT024000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / General

LIT024010      LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 16th Century

LIT024020      LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 17th Century

LIT024030      LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 18th Century

LIT024040      LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 19th Century

LIT024050      LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 20th Century

LIT024060      LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 21st Century

LIT004230      LITERARY CRITICISM / Mystery & Detective

LIT004060      LITERARY CRITICISM / Native American

                      LITERARY CRITICISM / Oceanian see Australian & Oceanian

                      LITERARY CRITICISM / Oriental see headings under Asian 

LIT014000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Poetry

LIT012000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Reference

LIT019000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Renaissance

LIT004240      LITERARY CRITICISM / Russian & Former Soviet Union

LIT004260      LITERARY CRITICISM / Science Fiction & Fantasy

LIT006000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Semiotics & Theory

LIT015000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Shakespeare

LIT018000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Short Stories

                      LITERARY CRITICISM / South & Southeast Asian see headings under Asian

LIT025000      LITERARY CRITICISM / Subjects & Themes / General

LIT025010      LITERARY CRITICISM / Subjects & Themes / Historical Events

LIT025020      LITERARY CRITICISM / Subjects & Themes / Nature

LIT025030      LITERARY CRITICISM / Subjects & Themes / Politics

LIT025040      LITERARY CRITICISM / Subjects & Themes / Religion

LIT025050      LITERARY CRITICISM / Subjects & Themes / Women

                      LITERARY CRITICISM / Theory see Semiotics & Theory

LIT004290      LITERARY CRITICISM / Women Authors

If your title does not have subject content, i.e. a blank book, please use the Non-Classifiable term below. Otherwise, use the Subject/General term in the closest descriptive area. NON000000 NON-CLASSIFIABLE

Please note that the BISAC Subject Headings List is governed by the following copyright notice. © 2017, Book Industry Study Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of the attached documents may be distributed or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the express permission of the Book Industry Study Group, Inc.