Literary Blog Hop

The Blue Bookcase announced this week that their site would be hosting a Literary Blog Hop. The genre, literary fiction, is often debated, because unlike other genres of fiction, literary fiction does not possess rigid parameters. However, literary fiction is not, itself, some magical abyss that one can call upon if in doubt of another name. No, literary fiction places emphasis on style, and demands a developed (or more deeply developed) psychological engagement/concept from it's audience and characters. Those studying literary fiction pay close attention to devices that are meticulously displayed throughout a novel of interest. McGraw Hill has a wonderfully informative list of literary devices and terms that any reader should familiarize themselves with. A novel can hold a beautiful storyline, an enriching message, and teach readers to engage in critical thinking, thus sharpening the mind.

Thought-provoking storylines and complex character development have kept my love of the printed word alive since I was a child. That’s why I was overjoyed when I found I would be able to participate in this Literary Blog Hop!

The Blue Bookcase posed this request:

Please highlight one of your favorite books and why you would consider it "literary."

Now, many of my readers know that my favorite title is Nicole Krauss’s The History of Love, which qualifies as an appropriate book for the subject of genre. However, instead of doing as predicted, I want to talk about some of my more recently favored literary fiction reads.

Title: All is Forgotten, Nothing is Lost

Author: Lan Samantha Chang

Publisher:  W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Release Date: 09.27.2010

Hardcover, 208 Pgs.

When I was offered an advanced reader's copy of Nicole Krauss's Great House: A Novel, I was ecstatic. No, really. I think I called half the people in my phonebook; I was so excited to get the chance to review in advance. Not to mention, it was the first time I had received an ARC of anything directly from a publisher. A newcomer to the world of book-blogging, receiving a copy felt like quite an accomplishment; so, imagine how elated I was when I found, quite unexpectedly, Lan Samantha Chang's All is Forgotten, Nothing is Lost, in the same package!

Summary: Roman and Bernard are students in a revered and feared poet's class with hopes of becoming brilliant artists themselves. Miranda Sturgis, their professor, maintains an image of ambivalence regarding anything her students submit, creating a desire in the two men to know her more completely. While Roman's work procures a life of recognition, Bernard looms in his frugal dwellings, constructing and deconstructing a single poem.

Readers witness the lives of two men who face perplexing lifestyle queries. Chang brilliantly embeds a discussion of her own profession, writing, in the text, which prompts profound analysis of the skill and devotion of writers, past and present. The day-to-day complexities of individuals’ inhabiting a capitalist society are marked with striking clarity. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys elevated language and content, as well as an engaging storyline that keeps your fingers gripping the cover.

Honorable Mention: Anthony Doerr’s Memory Wall: Stories. Doerr’s collection of stories possessed lines that were so beautiful, I cried from construction, and not entirely from content. Language was moving, and the character depth for each member of this collection of short stories goes unmatched.

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