Literary fiction can be distinguished from genre fiction (such as mystery, romance, science fiction, etc.) in a number of ways. A work of literary fiction usually introduces us to seemingly real characters who speak in believable voices and suffer and rejoice over the same things we might. Well-crafted fiction will often spark a sense of recognition in a reader, give expression to a feeling we have had but were unable to articulate. And rather than being driven by plot, that is, developing and resolving a simple series of events, literary fiction tends instead to traffic in universal truths—the abiding human need for love, for example, or the fear we all have of failure and death, or even our occasional moments of triumph. And perhaps most of all, literary fiction is recognizable for the quality of the author’s writing. A “good” book absorbs us completely, is worth returning to over and over again (and will yield something new every time), and will make our lives richer, deeper, better.
Most of the authors listed here have produced several novels and many have won prestigious literary awards.
Prepared by the staff of the Nashville Public Library, 2006
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