What Exactly IS Literary Fiction?
First of all, literary fiction is a genre used by publishers and book stores to classify books. I have heard people say, “oh, this is just a ‘beach read’” or “this book is so depressing.” Well, in a way, one could say that literary fiction IS very serious—deep ideas, complicated characters, and themes that explore the human condition. And, no. The story doesn’t always have a wonderful ending. On the other hand, just plain fiction centers on ‘storytelling’ and often concludes by solving a mystery, defeating the ‘bad guy’ and ending up with the right two people getting together.
Sometimes novels will overlap the two genres or have a mix of literary merit to them as well as an exciting story. It’s pretty clear that the ‘classics’ qualify as literary fiction as well as books that win prizes. These books may never make it to the Best Seller List. We don’t always like them or want to read them. Often, however, literary fiction appeals to a broad range of people. Books such as James, Trust, and Klara and the Sun are very popular. Ann Patchett, Elena Ferrante and Colson Whitehead can be counted on to produce popular literary fiction
So, do we read for enjoyment or enrichment? Can we read a variety of books in both categories? The answer, of course, is YES. It’s all a matter of taste, time and interest. Many book clubs, however, choose more serious books because they are always good for meaty discussions. The following are a few of the most recent books that fit the category of literary fiction:
The Land in Winter, by Andrew Miller, is his 10th novel. The setting is the western part of England during the winter of 1962-63. Remember all of the books about the Covid Epidemic. Well, this particular winter was almost as noteworthy in Britain because of its severity. People still refer to this time as The Big Chill. The main characters are two couples. Eric is a doctor, and his wife Irene is a rich socialite who longs for London. Bill runs a dairy farm, and his wife Rita feels inferior due to her lower social standing. Now, bring into the situation the fact that both women are pregnant and naturally form a friendship no matter how unlikely that may be. The action culminates on the night of a big party held by Eric and Irene. You will need to read the book to find out what happens, but I will say that a LOT happens at the party AND a book club would have a lot to talk about if the members read this book. Even the Thames froze!!
The Rest of Our Lives, by Ben Markovits, is the Late Show’s Book of January. Yes, even the Late Show has a book club. Who knew, right? Click on the highlighed link and listen as Stephen Colbert announces the pick. Make sure your device has the sound turned on.