Fiction v nonfiction – English literature's made-up divide

Some cultures do not distinguish between fiction and nonfiction – and instead talk of ‘stories’. Is that a barrier to English-language writers and publishers? Or should they just learn to enjoy telling tales?There’s a mighty canyon that runs down the middle of the world of the word, carving through bookshops, libraries and literary prizes, splitting them into fiction and nonfiction. Those who try to build bridges over this fissure may find themselves – like Geoff Dyer – rejecting the terms on which they are read, or, like Sheila Heti, arguing with their own book jackets. Those who are caught on the wrong side of the divide are attacked as frauds, pillioried or even – like James Frey – hounded out of their homes. Related: Julian Barnes: 'Biographical novels are kind of cheesy' The art is in the telling … the best storyteller is the one who recreates the anxiety of expectation and fulfils it[The distinction] serves as a useful guide to the kind of experience the reader is wanting to have Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #literary prizes #build bridges #geoff dyer #sheila heti #book jackets #wrong side #james frey #julian barnes

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Fiction v nonfiction – English literature's made-up divide'


A science fiction magazine closed submissions after being bombarded with stories written by ChatGPT

In a case of life (or something) imitating art, an award-winning publisher of science fiction says it’s being overrun with AI-generated work. Clarkesworld Magazine is no stranger to tales of artificial intelligence impacting society, but in a sad and wild case of life imitating art, the Hugo... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2023-02-21 09:59:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stories written #award-winning publisher #science fiction


HarperCollins refused appeal in defamation case over claims made in Scientology book

High court decision relates to previous judgment on allegations of controversial psychiatric treatments at Sydney’s Chelmsford private hospitalFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastHarperCollins has... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-02-17 02:54:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #guardian australia #scientology book #free morning #defamation case #claims made #latest updatesget #free app #legal issues #high court #book fair


In Praise of the Campus Novel: Daisy Alpert Florin on Fiction and Self-Discovery

What is it about campus novels that makes us love them so? The campus has inspired many novelists over the years: Michael Chabon, Kazuo Ishiguro, Curtis Sittenfeld, Elif Batuman, Nabokov, to name just a few. Readers love these stories, too; “the campus novel” has become its own literary... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-02-14 09:53:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #campus novels #readers love #kazuo ishiguro #curtis sittenfeld #elif batuman #novelists


At times, 'Knock at the Cabin' made the book's author want to 'run out of the theater'

While Paul Tremblay is a fan of M. Night Shyamalan's take on his novel 'The Cabin at the End of the World,' he's still chewing over the film's 'way darker' ending. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-02-08 14:00:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #paul tremblay #night shyamalan


Women’s prize to launch annual award for women’s non-fiction writing

The Women’s Prize Trust hopes to make the first award in 2024, after research showed female writers were far less likely than men to be reviewed or win prizes The Women’s prize is to launch a non-fiction award to sit alongside its long-running fiction prize, in response to research that found... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-02-08 08:00:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #non-fiction writing #book prize #win prizes #sit alongside #male counterparts #awarded annually #female writers #charity set #literary agent


Choosing Words Carefully: PW Talks to Bryan A. Garner, Author of 'Garner’s Modern English Usage'

PW caught up with the famous lexicographer to talk about the recently published Fifth Edition of his essential guide—and his lifelong fascination with the English language. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-02-06 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pw caught #recently published #english language


Timeless Wisdom Made Modern: Spotlight on Oswald Chambers

An updated version of the author and preacher’s classic My Utmost for His Highest from Our Daily Bread Publishing is set to reach a new generation of readers. (Sponsored) Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-01-27 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #updated version


Must-Read Sapphic Historical Fiction

Immerse yourself in sapphic historical fiction with these 20 must-read books like Mademoiselle Revolution and Notes of a Crocodile. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-01-23 11:37:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #historical fiction


A New Way of Being on the Page: A Reading List of Very Short Fictions

Having written and taught short stories for many years, I’ve become increasingly interested in writers who are pushing the edge of how “story” is defined. While “flash fiction” and “micro fiction” are buzzy terms, writing extremely short pieces is nothing new—as I tell my students, Poe did it,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-01-20 09:53:22 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #flash fiction #micro fiction #short stories


Prince Harry’s Spare is fastest-selling nonfiction book since UK records began

First week of the controversial memoir’s sales breaks official UK records reports Nielsen, Guinness World Records and WaterstonesPrince Harry’s Spare has sold almost half a million copies in the UK in its first week on sale, making it the fastest-selling nonfiction book since records... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-01-17 16:13:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk retailers #prince harry #controversial memoir #million copies #records began #book charts #audiobook #nonfiction book


Dan Kois on Youthful Nostalgia and Rediscovering the Craft of Fiction

I assume that at some point I must’ve told Dan Kois what to do. During the years he worked for me at the grand old Bull’s Head Bookshop on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus somewhere in the late ‘90s. I must’ve said, at least once, “Shelve. Show that customer to the cookbooks. Shut up.” If so, […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-01-17 09:54:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dan kois #late 90s #bookshop


Despite leaks, Prince Harry’s memoir is the UK’s fastest selling nonfiction title ever.

You don’t really have to do much at this point to absorb passages from Prince Harry’s public therapy tell-all trauma dump, Spare. So much of what’s in the book has already appeared in interviews, profiles and, thanks to a very aggressive British press, as actual text on the internet. Despite the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-01-12 15:22:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prince harry #nonfiction title #memoir


The Best Dark Academia in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Dark academia isn't just for mysteries and thrillers-- you can find all the dark academia vibes you crave in science fiction and fantasy too! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-01-12 11:38:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction


The Most Anticipated Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2023, According to Goodreads

Goodreads has released a list of its most anticipated science fiction and fantasy releases for 2023. Get your TBRs ready! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-01-11 18:35:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fantasy books #science fiction


German Nonfiction Prize: 206 Titles Entered in the 2023 Competition

This year's books submitted for the German Nonfiction Prize include books written in German from the United Kingdom and Liechtenstein. The post German Nonfiction Prize: 206 Titles Entered in the 2023 Competition appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-01-11 01:51:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books submitted #united kingdom #books written


Prince Harry’s autobiography Spare is UK’s fastest-selling nonfiction book

The memoir, which includes claims Prince William attacked him, records figures of 400,000 on its first day Prince Harry’s autobiography has become the UK’s fastest-selling nonfiction book ever, recording figures of 400,000 on its first day on sale.The controversial memoir Spare has made... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-01-10 19:17:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #autobiography spare #prince harry #made headlines #weeks leading #ebooks #memoir #nonfiction book


Somebody made an exact LEGO replica of this classic movie bookstore.

Remember Ray’s Occult Books, the rundown Manhattan bookstore opened by an unmoored Ray Stantz between Ghostbusters I and II following the city of New York serving him and his fellow ghostbusters with a judicial restraining order for the property damage incurred during their city-saving battle... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-01-09 16:53:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookstore


8 of the Best Science Fiction Books About Robots

Meet mechanical dragons, security units, and wild robots in these incredible science fiction books all about robots. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-01-09 11:32:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction


In his own write: Prince Harry’s ghostwriter is so famous that George Clooney made a film of his life

JR Moehringer, biographer to stars such as Andre Agassi and a doyen of the genre, was an obvious choice for the Duke of SussexWhen Prince Harry chose to work with ghostwriter JR Moehringer on his institution-shaking memoir, Spare, he was not taking half measures. The American writer and Pulitzer... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-01-07 18:42:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #andre agassi #prince harry #jr moehringer #obvious choice #american writer #father-son relationship #tennis star #las vegas #memoir


The Morning After: Lenovo made an e-ink tablet to rival Amazon’s Scribe

The CES conveyor belt of PCs doesn’t let up. Lenovo has been busy. Let’s start with its latest YogaBook, the dual-screen YogaBook 9i. Instead of folding like a conventional laptop, this… thing unfurls a screen atop another, with a slimline keyboard at the bottom. Thankfully, as well as the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-01-06 12:15:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle