20 Literary Genres and Their Defining Books
Quartz published a listicle identifying 20 literary genres and the books that defined each one, from ancient epics to contemporary autofiction. The article traces how specific titles gave each genre its shape, rules, and enduring identity. Genres covered include epic, tragedy, comedy, romance, Gothic, science fiction, fantasy, detective, thriller, horror, historical fiction, western, bildungsroman, satire, dystopian, magical realism, postmodern, graphic novel, memoir, and autofiction. Defining books range from Homer's "The Odyssey" (epic) to Karl Ove Knausgård's "My Struggle" (autofiction). The piece emphasizes the evolution of literary forms and the canonical works that established their conventions.
Key facts
- Quartz published an article on 20 literary genres and their defining books.
- Genres include epic, tragedy, comedy, romance, Gothic, science fiction, fantasy, detective, thriller, horror, historical fiction, western, bildungsroman, satire, dystopian, magical realism, postmodern, graphic novel, memoir, and autofiction.
- Homer's 'The Odyssey' is cited as defining the epic genre.
- Karl Ove Knausgård's 'My Struggle' is cited as defining autofiction.
- The article traces how specific titles gave each genre its shape, rules, and enduring identity.
- The list covers works from ancient epics to contemporary autofiction.
Entities
Artists
- Homer
- Karl Ove Knausgård
Institutions
- Quartz
Sources
- Quartz —