[Publib] A question of terminology.

[Michael L. Champion]

There is a growing "genre" (for lack of a better term) of items like the
following:

 

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky

Compass: A Story of Exploration and Innovation by Alan Gurney

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest
Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel

Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea by Charles Seife

In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel
Philbrick

. . . etc.

 

I have found them referred to as "microhistories", which seem quite
appropriate, and "single subject histories."  I haven't been able to
find this type of item collected under any term on any of the normal
sites [Library of Congress, OCLC WorldCat, Amazon.com, etc.].  Perhaps
it is not a "type" after all and shouldn't be grouped together.

 

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

 

 

Regards,

 

Michael Champion

Head, Information Technology Services

Lake Villa District Library

1001 E. Grand Ave.

Lake Villa, IL 60046

mchampion at lvdl.org

847-356-8527 x218

 

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