The Book Club Proposal - 2009

[Weisinheimer]

Wikipedia offers an extensive list of literary genres:

List of literary genres
-Autobiography
- Biography
- Children's literature
- Constrained writing
- Diaries and Journals
- Essay
-Fiction

--Adventure novel
--Airport novels
--Bildungsroman
--Chick lit
--Crime fiction, Detective fiction
--Erotic
--Fable
--Fairy tale
--Family Saga
--Frame story
--Gothic
---Southern Gothic
--Historical fiction
--Historiographical metafiction
--Hysterical realism
--Hypertext fiction
--Inspirational fiction
--Invasion literature
--Legal thriller
--Mystery
---Cozy
---Hard-boiled
--Nouveau roman
--Psychological novel
--Psychological thriller
--Roman à clef
--Romance
---Historical romance
----Bodice rippers
----Regency romance
---Inspirational romance
---Paranormal romance
---Time travel romance
--Saga
--Satire
--Speculative fiction
---Alternate/Alternative history
---Fantasy (for more details see Fantasy subgenres)
----Epic fantasy
----Science fantasy
----Urban fantasy
---Horror
---Science fiction (for more details see Science fiction genres and related topics)
----Cyberpunk
----Hard science fiction
----Space opera
--Sensation novel
--Slave narrative
--Spy fiction/Political thriller
--Thriller
--Western

-Memoir
-Non-fiction
-Oral Narrative (Oral History)
-Outdoor literature
-Poetry
-Travel literature

geez, I don't know what half of those are.

[JBI]

Don't worry, even if we are reading a romance, or a fantasy novel, there are always options.

The stupidity with genre based on marketing group is as follows, one could say Italo Calvino, the phenomenal Italian post-modernist wrote many books which would fall under the fantasy heading, yet it is distinctively clear the stereotypical fantasy crowd probably have never heard of him.

Likewise, the great French novelist Duras's The Lover could be called a romance, though I doubt many romance novel readers have read it.

These categories are rather artificial, as they create a boundary where people can by their favorite kind of product. But like all products, there is always the higher line, the finer product, the steak instead of the Big Mac. It is when the book transcends its generic expectations that it quivers out of what we call genre literature, and into the literary, or aesthetic.

[Etienne]

I nominate Cyrano de Bergerac's The Other World: The Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon and the Sun as Science-Fiction reading

[Drkshadow03]

The stupidity with genre based on marketing group is as follows, one could say Italo Calvino, the phenomenal Italian post-modernist wrote many books which would fall under the fantasy heading, yet it is distinctively clear the stereotypical fantasy crowd probably have never heard of him.

You'd be surprised. I know many "genre" fans who participate in Fantasy communities who like Calvino.

Personally, I think if we do genre that when it comes time for fantasy and Sci-fi why not pick "classics" or high quality works that are more traditionally genre rather than cop-out works that happen to have fantastical elements; in other words, works that might appeal to both genre readers and a more literate audience.

Kelly Link's short story collections, China Mieville's works, Jeffery Ford's works, especially his short story collections, I think might all be good choices to name a few for fantasy.

Dune by Frank Herbert, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin, Neuromancer by William Gibson, even The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells are all good choices.

This way you can all see what is actually going on in those genres beyond the really really really commercial stuff and you might be pleasantly surprised at the literary values some of these readers have.

[Jozanny]

I've been in live book clubs at my local Barnes & Noble franchise, and I joined genre discussion groups. As a class, I have a distinct distaste for who-done it mysteries, but our mystery group was led by a retired professor, and being introduced to Simenon and Highsmith was interesting, especially Simenon. If he can be considered a French minimalist, he has a leg up on American minimalists in terms of how his sparse prose pushes boundary, pushes form.

If genre wins I will keep an open mind, though romance may make me ill.

[Virgil]

Don't worry, even if we are reading a romance, or a fantasy novel, there are always options.

The stupidity with genre based on marketing group is as follows, one could say Italo Calvino, the phenomenal Italian post-modernist wrote many books which would fall under the fantasy heading, yet it is distinctively clear the stereotypical fantasy crowd probably have never heard of him.

Likewise, the great French novelist Duras's The Lover could be called a romance, though I doubt many romance novel readers have read it.

These categories are rather artificial, as they create a boundary where people can by their favorite kind of product. But like all products, there is always the higher line, the finer product, the steak instead of the Big Mac. It is when the book transcends its generic expectations that it quivers out of what we call genre literature, and into the literary, or aesthetic.

JBI, those are great suggestions. I love Calvino's work and Duras' The Lover was an outstanding novel.

[lugdunum]

Athough the "by genre" option is currently leading the poll, I think that "by country " would also a good one, because:

1/ there are countries which weren't chosen last year and would probably offer great possibilities (check out last year's poll: http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=29256);

2/ there are other countries which weren't on the poll like African countries (in general) or Argentina)

3/ Even among the selected countries I'm sure we could come up with other nominations.

In short, that even if it has been this year's option, another round won't do us no harm... (uhmm... sounds like I'm ordering pints here... reminds me that it's Friday ... time to go out ! )

Have a nice weekend everyone!!

[DapperDrake]

I voted Genre and Trend, to be honest I'm not entirely convinced by Country, Its certainly good for broadening ones horizons but frankly I don't need my horizons that broad at this point.
I can see the attraction of by country for someone who has perhaps read many of the classics and contemporary greats, but personally I'm still just dipping into these areas and am quite content to stick with them.

Cyberpunk??? Space Opera??? Can anyone share the benefit of their sci-fi wisdom on these?

Lugdunum: That's easy! at least that is to say I have a vague idea what these genre are and have read a few books I could categorise as one or the other. E.g. the Sprawl Trilogy (inc Neuromancer) by Wiliam Gibson is an example of Cyberpunk, and the Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds is an example of a Space Opera. Additionally all Sci-fi can be classified as "Hard" or "Soft" Sci-fi, i.e. it either focuses on the science part of Sci-fi (hard) or it focuses on the fiction part of the Sci-fi (soft) though you will hear other, better, definitions I'm sure.
If I had to define cyberpunk I would say it is pretty much what you might expect from the name, punk=underworld, crime etc. + cyber=high tech, futuristic, possibly cybernetic or computer based etc.. you might say that blade runner is an example of cyberpunk, just in a movie.
If I had to define space Opera I would probably cry, but once again you can get a good idea from the name, Space + Opera, you might say that Starwars is a space opera, to use another movie example.

[Etienne]

And then people wonder why science fiction is not taken seriously

[Drkshadow03]

Thats easy! at least that is to say I have a vague idea what these genre are and have read a few books I could categorise as one or the other. E.g. the Sprawl Trilogy (inc Neuromancer) by Wiliam Gibson is an example of Cyberpunk, and the Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds is an example of a Space Opera. Additionally all Sci-fi can be classified as "Hard" or "Soft" Sci-fi, i.e. it either focuses on the science part of Sci-fi (hard) or it focuses on the fiction part of the Sci-fi (soft) though you will hear other, better, definitions I'm sure.
If I had to define cyberpunk I would say it is pretty much what you might expect from the name, punk=underworld, crime etc. + cyber=high tech, futuristic, possibly cybernetic or computer based etc.. you might say that blade runner is an example of cyberpunk, just in a movie.
If I had to define space Opera I would probably cry, but once again you can get a good idea from the name, Space + Opera, you might say that Starwars is a space opera, to use another movie example.

Space Opera is sort of like a Soap Opera in Space. You might also think of it as an attempt at Epic in Space. Generally this type isn't very high quality. The focus is on how the scientific or speculative elements affect the interpersonal relationships. The Scientific speculation may be practically nonexistent, except for the most superficial appearance.

Cyberpunk generally features artificial intelligence (particular computers), speculates about information technology (often vast compter networks that connect all human beings) and features low life characters such as mercenaries and assassins for hire who can hack into corporations and what not.

The seminal work as Dapperdrake pointed out is Neuromancer by William Gibson. It is no coincidence that this came out during the Reagan 80s in America and the rise of the internet and the personal computer.

And then people wonder why science fiction is not taken seriously

Neuromancer managed to make the Top 100 Books Written after 1923 List by Times. It might be a good choice for Science Fiction actually.

[DapperDrake]

And then people wonder why science fiction is not taken seriously

Is Sci-fi not taken seriously? I think that would be a mistake; it is perhaps true that Sci-fi has more than its fair share of cheap, poorly written, trash pulp fiction - mostly read by young adolescent males - but once you've taken the time to sift the wheat from the chaff there is also very good fiction.

Disregarding Sci-fi as a genre would be like disregarding Romance as a genre, which is to say it would be a narrow and stereotypical thing to do.

[Niamh]

Disregarding Sci-fi as a genre would be like disregarding Romance as a genre, which is to say it would be a narrow and stereotypical thing to do.

agreed!

[Nightshade]

If we choose genre a) does it have to be fiction- Im reading vindication on the rights of women at the moment and it is AMAZING! and b) does this mean we can get away with only one classic all year? (please say yes please say yes please say yes please say yes please say yes please say yes )

[Scheherazade]

If we choose genre a) does it have to be fiction-

Yes, the BC discussions are only for fiction.

Maybe you would like to start another thread for your book?

b) does this mean we can get away with only one classic all year? (please say yes please say yes please say yes please say yes please say yes please say yes )

There are books that are considered classics in every genre, don't you think?

E.g.,Anna Karanina could come under romance.

[Jozanny]

E.g.,Anna Karanina could come under romance.

Uhhhh, yeah but maybe that kind of trivalizes the scope? (Decides to Google Romanticism....)