On the novel books
On the novel books to start from. Open one to see books like it, or tell BookSense what you loved for four picks made for you.
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New to the genre? These 5 are the books to read first.
Aspects of the Novel
E. M. ForsterA short, widely read set of lectures that gives the basic vocabulary of story, plot, character, and fantasy in the novel.
The Rhetoric of Fiction
Wayne C. BoothSets out how authors guide readers through narrators, distance, and reliability, and became a foundation for later narrative theory. The list gives 1973, which is probably a later printing.
The Rise of the Novel
Ian P. WattLinks the early English novel to social change, the rise of the middle-class reading public, and new ideas of individual experience.
Mr. Bennett and Mrs. Brown
Virginia WoolfA short essay arguing that the Edwardian novelists had not caught the inner reality of character, and setting out a case for a new kind of fiction.
Beginnings
Edward W. SaidExamines how novels begin and how beginnings shape the relation between a text, its author, and the world, with attention to the novel's and criticism's methods.
Chosen and described with AI from our notes on the genre.
More on the novel books
- Darwin's Plots
Darwin's PlotsGillian Beer - Archetypal Patterns in Women's Fiction
Archetypal Patterns in Women's FictionAnnis Pratt - On Moral Fiction
On Moral FictionJohn Gardner - A History of Modern Chinese Fiction
A History of Modern Chinese FictionChih-tsing Hsia - The key to "The name of the rose"
The key to "The name of the rose"Adele J. Haft1987 - Graphic Novels
Graphic NovelsPaul Gravett2005 - World of Throne of Glass
World of Throne of GlassSarah J. Maas2018 - The Graphic Novel
The Graphic NovelJan Baetens2001 - The Color Purple
The Color PurpleNeil McEwan1992 - Stealing fire from the gods
Stealing fire from the godsJames Bonnet1999 - The art of x-ray reading
The art of x-ray readingRoy Peter Clark2016 - Imperialism at home
Imperialism at homeSusan Meyer1996