The Desperate Housewives of Contemporary Fiction 

This week on the Culture Gabfest’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Slate book critic Laura Miller discusses her recent article on the resurgence of housewives in contemporary fiction. Laura recommends three new books that give the old trope a 21st-century makeover and discusses the big question: What exactly is the housewife novel? And what is this ’60s cliché doing in contemporary fiction? The hosts ponder the genre’s history and relevance as today’s housewives face extinction. Continue reading at 'Slate'

[ Slate | 2016-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #culture gabfest #bonus segment #recent article #contemporary fiction #big question

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The Desperate Housewives of Contemporary Fiction '


Everything You Need to Know About Groundbreaking Queer Feminist Science Fiction Writer Joanna Russ

When she was in high school in the early 1950’s, Joanna Russ (1930–2011) read Mark Twain’s short story  “A Medieval Romance,” about a duke without a male heir who brings his daughter up to fill the role, hiding her gender from all. Things get complicated when the duke’s niece falls in love with... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-11-03 08:41:28 UTC ]
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How Has Big Publishing Changed American Fiction?

A new book argues that corporate publishing has transformed what it means to be an author. Continue reading at New Yorker

[ New Yorker | 2023-11-01 10:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book argues #corporate publishing #big publishing


20 Must-Read Historical Fiction Books Set in France

These must-read historical fiction books set in France span more than 800 years, from the reign of Eleanor of Aquitaine to post-WWII Paris. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-10-26 10:31:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #historical fiction


Desperate to Make Her Mother Smile, Nina Simon Wrote a Book

The author of “Mother-Daughter Murder Night” started working on her debut novel during a time of tremendous stress. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-10-26 09:02:09 UTC ]
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Deep Drop in Fiction Led a 3.2% Decline in Weekly Print Book Sales

Unit sales of print books fell 3.2% last week at outlets that report to Circana BookScan. The performance wasn’t a bad one—it was just unable to match the same period last year, when 'It Starts with Us' by Colleen Hoover sold more than 810,000 copies in its first week on sale. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #2% decline #circana bookscan #print book


8 Queer Historical Fiction Books Set Around the World

When you hear the phrase “queer history,” how far back does your mind go? For many, there’s a sense that LGBTQIA+ history is fairly recent, starting with Marsha P. Johnson or maybe Oscar Wilde. Beyond that, we start to get into murky territory: stories of “lifelong bachelors” and “happy... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-10-17 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #world appeared #oscar wilde #electric literature #historical fiction


The Past Is Messy and Repeats Itself: The Trap of Fairytale Victory Endings in Historical Fiction

This essay isn’t about World War II. But like any historical fiction writer publishing in 2023, it’s impossible to ignore the recent wave of WWII novels that fill bookstore shelves at the moment. As someone who reads and enjoys many of these books but has no desire to write one, I have a theory... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-17 08:45:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #recent wave #bookstore #historical fiction


Halloween Short Fiction: 9 Short Stories to Get You Ready for Spooky Season

These Halloween short stories are free to read online! They're deliciously unsettling, genre-bending, emotional, and even humorous. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-10-16 10:33:00 UTC ]
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Write Who You Love: J. Ryan Stradal on Memorializing His Mother Through Fiction

Since my first novel was published, at almost every interview and live event, I get asked a version of the same question. Usually people seem just curious, but occasionally there are notes of hostility or amazement. They want to know why, and often how, I write my female protagonists. The answer... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-16 08:50:29 UTC ]
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9 Science Fiction Books that Mix in Medieval Elements

These nine medieval science fiction books play with limits of time, space, and history to tell fascinating stories with medieval elements. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-10-13 10:32:00 UTC ]
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Why Genre Fiction Is So Effective in Tackling Social Issues

Novelist Cindy Fazzi says authors interested in addressing the great issues of the day should avoid preaching and focus on telling a good story. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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With Adult Fiction Tumbling 10%, Print Book Sales Fell 5.7% Last Week

After a long run with weekly sales ahead of 2022, unit sales of adult fiction titles were down 0.2% in the year-to-date after sales fell last week. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Letting the Unspoken Speak: A Reading List of Historical Trauma in Fiction

My sophomore novel, Evil Eye, follows Yara Murad, a Palestinian American woman who begins to confront the psychological and interpersonal aftermath of her emotionally volatile childhood as her carefully constructed life begins to fall apart. In drafting this novel, which explores post-traumatic... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-09-22 08:35:35 UTC ]
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Read the Winners of American Short Fiction’s 2023 Insider Prize, Selected by Nickolas Butler

Last spring, I approached Nickolas Butler, internationally bestselling author of the novels Shotgun Lovesongs, The Hearts of Men, and Godspeed, to be the judge for this year’s Insider Prize, American Short Fiction’s annual literary award for incarcerated writers in Texas. He’d worked with... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-09-22 08:15:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #incarcerated writers #literary award #bestselling author


Booksellers Stock Up on Genre Fiction

Genre fiction by such authors as Colleen Hoover, N.K. Jemisin, and Rebecca Roanhorse remains extremely popular with readers. As publishers increase their output to meet demand, booksellers are making more and more room on their shelves for the titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Want to understand Elon Musk (and America)? This is the book to read—and it’s fiction

‘Kill the Rich’ by Jack Allison and Kate Shapiro is a lacerating satire of America’s gonzo culture—and no one comes out unscathed. A provocative book title doesn’t always telegraph to readers what awaits inside. When it comes to those self-help books that include a naughty little swear on the... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2023-09-16 03:00:00 UTC ]
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New Historical Fiction Books

From the dark heart of a misguided follower to the young hand of a diarist whose words outlived her, these novels encompass the full spectrum of humanity. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-09-15 16:58:33 UTC ]
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Here’s the longlist for the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction.

Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction. The ten titles on the longlist were selected from a pool of 496 books submitted for consideration by their publishers; this year’s judges for Fiction are Steph Cha, Calvin Crosby, Silas... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-09-15 14:15:56 UTC ]
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20 of the Most Thought-Provoking, Philosophical Science Fiction Books of All Time

Looking for a work of science fiction that will make you really think? Welcome to these philosophical sci-fi books! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-09-15 10:33:00 UTC ]
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8 Magical Libraries in Fiction

Get away from it all with a journey to the most magical libraries in fiction from the Library of Zosma to the Great Libraries of Austmeer. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-09-12 10:34:00 UTC ]
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