Bird by Bird is a primer for writers. It lays out in simple terms the mechanical and psychological challenges that a writer faces. In sharp contrast to the early twentieth-century school of glamorized writing, Bird by Bird presents a frank account of writer's block, professional jealousy, the pressures of daily life, and repeated failure. Its central thesis is related to a paper the author's brother wrote as a child, a sizable report on birds which his father admonished him to handle "bird by bird."
Boasting the largest collection of book summaries, BookRags is the best option for titles you can't find elsewhere. They offer all of the basics (quotes, chapter summary, characters, historical context, literary criticism) but also walk through a few major topics that recur throughout the book, which can be particularly useful for essay writing.
The most popular website for book notes. SparkNotes was created by students for students, and their summaries are accessible and extremely well-written. Besides the usual plot overview, chapter summaries, and character analysis, SparkNotes differentiates itself with a section discussing themes, motifs, and symbols.