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Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 6137
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 10:40 am: | 
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One reason often given me by people who read genre fiction as to why they don't read literary works is because it is so downbeat.
Think of it--from Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Carver to Ellison, Wright, Baldwin, to Morrison, Wideman and whoever--literary fiction is one long category of death, failure, tragedy, deviancy--in fact to be considered "serious" literature it seems that you must appeal to pallid, black wearing, black coffee and cigarette puffing, suicidal academics (helps all the more if you are alcholic and suicidal yourself, and live in New York City.
I know that we are in the Naturalistic and reailstic period (a reaction against unreal Romanticism)ad that after the 20th Century Western Civilization has had the scales dropped from its eyes, but is it impossible to be serious and give a lift to the reader at the same time? |
Schakspir
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Schakspir
Post Number: 1211
Registered: 12-2005
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 19, 2008 - 07:49 pm: |
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So why did Native Son sell so many copies when it came out in 1940--over 200,000 copies in hardback in less than two months?
And why did Baldwin's Another Country do so well? And why did A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, about Dave Eggers having lost both his mother and father within the space of a month or so, become such a smash? People are more masochistic than you think. |
Wfcooper
Regular Poster
Username: Wfcooper
Post Number: 21
Registered: 12-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 31, 2008 - 11:40 am: |
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Chris,
I think I may have something for you with regards to that question you pose.
Are you willing to read a story that blends the lines of commercial and literary fiction; One that is simple yet serious, and definitely uplifts. It's a quick 75,000 word read that I think you'll enjoy.
Let me know... |
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