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| (c) Süddeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung |
I came across this article on the Guardian's webpage this morning. Here, Robert McCrum elaborates on new literary genres that have, necessarily, cropped up in the last few decades. I really enjoyed this list, so I'm sharing it here. For the entire article go to Robert McCrum on Literary Genres (Guardian 19/11/2012)
And these are McCrum's categories:
"1. Lit lit
Two versions here.
a) Poetry. No higher form - a straight line from Shakespeare, Pope, Wordsworth, Hardy and Hughes.
b) Fiction. Also known as "literary fiction"; a genre whose contemporary exemplars include Julian Barnes, Philip Hensher and Zadie Smith.
Two versions here.
a) Poetry. No higher form - a straight line from Shakespeare, Pope, Wordsworth, Hardy and Hughes.
b) Fiction. Also known as "literary fiction"; a genre whose contemporary exemplars include Julian Barnes, Philip Hensher and Zadie Smith.
2. Ghost lit
A surprising number of successful books (bestselling memoirs especially) are written by ghost writers. But there are also ghosted novels, too. By definition these wraith-like creatures have no names and are known only to their fellow spooks – and the publishers who depend on them.
A surprising number of successful books (bestselling memoirs especially) are written by ghost writers. But there are also ghosted novels, too. By definition these wraith-like creatures have no names and are known only to their fellow spooks – and the publishers who depend on them.
3. Graphic book lit
Manga novels have been a booming genre for the past 10 years. The Observer sponsors a graphic short story prize, but graphic books have yet to become an established part of the mainstream.
Manga novels have been a booming genre for the past 10 years. The Observer sponsors a graphic short story prize, but graphic books have yet to become an established part of the mainstream.
4. Chick lit
The motherlode. There's far more of this lit than most readers realise. If, as some suggest, it began with Bridget Jones, there's now a second or even third generation.
The motherlode. There's far more of this lit than most readers realise. If, as some suggest, it began with Bridget Jones, there's now a second or even third generation.
5. Gran lit
A new entry: see my opening comments, above [Note: Please check the article link above for this.]
A new entry: see my opening comments, above [Note: Please check the article link above for this.]
6. Erotic lit
The quintessential expression of this genre is, of course, EL James's Fifty Shades of Grey, which has now begun to acquire some respectability with a nomination for a National Book award. My own guess is that it's a craze that will soon (if it doesn't already) seem embarrassing and ridiculous.
The quintessential expression of this genre is, of course, EL James's Fifty Shades of Grey, which has now begun to acquire some respectability with a nomination for a National Book award. My own guess is that it's a craze that will soon (if it doesn't already) seem embarrassing and ridiculous.
7. Booker lit
Fiction that plays well with Booker prize judges is sometimes characterised as unreadable and pretentious, with some justification. On the other hand, the Booker's track record of winners is impressive. As a prize, Booker is rivalled only by the Orange prize, now the women's prize for fiction. In a larger category – prize lit – Booker and Orange are the market leaders.
Fiction that plays well with Booker prize judges is sometimes characterised as unreadable and pretentious, with some justification. On the other hand, the Booker's track record of winners is impressive. As a prize, Booker is rivalled only by the Orange prize, now the women's prize for fiction. In a larger category – prize lit – Booker and Orange are the market leaders.
8. US lit
For me, the big names here are still Philip Roth, Paul Auster, and Don DeLillo. Of course, US fiction (and poetry) is too vast a canvas to be reduced to a single frame.
For me, the big names here are still Philip Roth, Paul Auster, and Don DeLillo. Of course, US fiction (and poetry) is too vast a canvas to be reduced to a single frame.
9. Commonwealth lit
The literature of the Commonwealth used to get a lot of commercial and critical attention. Changing readership patterns in the world have reduced the significance of "Commonwealth" writing, but it will probably survive, in some form, for another generation. (see also: 10 and 11)
The literature of the Commonwealth used to get a lot of commercial and critical attention. Changing readership patterns in the world have reduced the significance of "Commonwealth" writing, but it will probably survive, in some form, for another generation. (see also: 10 and 11)
10. Oz lit
Australian writing, a sub-genre of 9, used to be fashionable enough to deserve a category of its own. The market leader is Peter Carey, followed by Christos Tsiolkas, Kate Grenville and Thomas Keneally, among many.
Australian writing, a sub-genre of 9, used to be fashionable enough to deserve a category of its own. The market leader is Peter Carey, followed by Christos Tsiolkas, Kate Grenville and Thomas Keneally, among many.
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| (c) SC, welcometobookalley.blogspot.com |
11. Indian lit
This could be seen as a subset of either Booker lit or Commonwealth Lit, and is represented by Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth, Amitav Ghosh and many others. For a while, it seemed as if the English literary tradition would be sustained exclusively by writers from the sub-continent.
This could be seen as a subset of either Booker lit or Commonwealth Lit, and is represented by Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth, Amitav Ghosh and many others. For a while, it seemed as if the English literary tradition would be sustained exclusively by writers from the sub-continent.
12. Kids' lit
The past 20 years have seen a wonderful flowering of writing for children, from Philip Pullman and Julia Donaldson to Michael Morpurgo and JK Rowling. Later generations will work out why this should have been so.
The past 20 years have seen a wonderful flowering of writing for children, from Philip Pullman and Julia Donaldson to Michael Morpurgo and JK Rowling. Later generations will work out why this should have been so.
13. Translated lit
The British reading public's appetite for foreign prose and poetry is (compared with that of our European neighbours) patchy. There was a boom in translated fiction in the 1980s (Kundera, Vargas Llosa, Márquez etc) but that has slowed in the last decade.
The British reading public's appetite for foreign prose and poetry is (compared with that of our European neighbours) patchy. There was a boom in translated fiction in the 1980s (Kundera, Vargas Llosa, Márquez etc) but that has slowed in the last decade.
14. SF/fantasy
Science fiction is the cockroach in the house of books: it survives on scraps and never goes away. Occasionally, as in the work of HG Wells and JG Ballard, it becomes sublime.
Science fiction is the cockroach in the house of books: it survives on scraps and never goes away. Occasionally, as in the work of HG Wells and JG Ballard, it becomes sublime.
15. Blog lit
A new entry to the field. Blogs that become books. The latest is schoolgirl Martha Payne's blog, which was published last week. Payne hit the headlines with her blog on school meals, won the support of Jamie Oliver and went on to raise £120,000 for charity after her local council banned her from posting photographs and scathing critiques of her school dinners online. Her book, written with the help of her father, takes its title from her blog, NeverSeconds. A more serious example of a blog that became a book is The Rest Is Noise, by Alex Ross.
A new entry to the field. Blogs that become books. The latest is schoolgirl Martha Payne's blog, which was published last week. Payne hit the headlines with her blog on school meals, won the support of Jamie Oliver and went on to raise £120,000 for charity after her local council banned her from posting photographs and scathing critiques of her school dinners online. Her book, written with the help of her father, takes its title from her blog, NeverSeconds. A more serious example of a blog that became a book is The Rest Is Noise, by Alex Ross.
Book blogs, generally, remain virtual: as they should."
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