[Publib] A question of terminology.

[Nann Blaine Hilyard]

Hi, Michael --
 
"Narrative nonfiction."   
 
The genre was the subject of a RA program at the ALA annual conference
in Orlando (2004).  From my conference notes:  "Narrative Nonfiction,"
sponsored by the Reference and User Services Association, was about the
hottest topic in readers advisory now.  The genre took off in the 90's.
A sizeable body of people realized that true stories, told well, are as
compelling as works of fiction.  NN does not need to overpower; it can
be escape reading.  Great NN has deep subject knowledge, great passion
for the subject, and is a good story.   The guest author was Owen
Gingerich, whose book The Book Nobody Read is bout his quest to locate
all 400 copies of the first printing of Copernicus's 1543 book De
Revolutionibus.  
 
Nann
@the library in Zion, Illinois 
 
 
________________________________

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Michael L. Champion
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007 12:42 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] A question of terminology.



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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