Reference Reviews

Lawrence Looks at Books

Books and Beyond: The Greenwood Encyclopedia of New American Reading, edited by Kenneth Womack. 4 vols. 1,292p. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2008. 978-0-313-33738-3; 2008-18703. $399.95.

As with television, the market for American books has fractured. Like cable show producers, most authors seldom aim their products at a general readership. Instead, most creative works are written with a specific audience in mind. Some groups are targeted because of their demographic characteristics, including age, sex, race and religion. Others are prized because of their reading interests from spy novels and murder mysteries to chick lit and vampire stories. In the past, such genre writing was seen as formulaic and would have rarely gained mention as part of the literary canon. However, with the enduring popularity of some genres like science fiction and the critical acclaim accorded much regional and ethnic literature, many genre writers are now attracting academic study. This new guide to modern American writing consists of bibliographic essays describing the distinguishing characteristics of 75 literary genres. Coverage ranges from children’s and utopian literature to space operas and road fiction. From Native American to GLBTQ literature, many genres relate to the personal identity of both authors and readers. Christian, erotic, historical and romance novels also are explored. The literary forms vary enough to include drama, poetry, humor and film adaptations as well anime, manga and graphic novels. Nonfiction genres include travel, science, self-help and biography. Despite the title there is little attention to emerging alternatives to printed books, however the influence of the internet and websites are discussed for many genres like flash fiction and zines. Each entry defines the genre and its relationship to associated fields. Historical development, trends and social contexts also are described. Selected authors are used to illustrate common themes and critical reception. The bibliographies for each entry are mostly works cited, but may serve indirectly as a reader’s guide. Separate suggestions for further reading usually denote secondary criticism. The substantial essays will serve to introduce audiences in both academic and public libraries to a fascinating array of current writing.