Citing a book in MLA style

When citing a book in MLA style, follow one of the basic formats below.

Print book with one author

Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Horowitz, Joseph. Classical Music in America: A History of Its Rise and Fall. W.W. Norton, 2005.

Print book with two authors

Author Last Name, First Name, and Author First Name Last Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Staines, Joe, and Jonathan Buckley. Classical Music: The Rough Guide. Penguin Books, 1998.

eBook version of book with three or more authors

Author Last Name, First Name, et al. Title of Book. E-book ed., Publisher, Year.

Kramer, Lawrence, et al. Why Classical Music Still Matters, e-book ed., University of California Press, 2007.

Online book with one author

Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year. Title of Website, Date [if any], DOI or Permalink or URL.

Wagner, Richard. On Conducting: A Treatise on Style in the Execution of Classical Music. Translated by Edward Dannreuther, W. Reeves, 1897.

Hathi Trust Digital Library, hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015009463210.