Biographical Fiction - A Reader

In recent years, the biographical novel has become one of the most dominant literary forms-J.M. Coetzee, Margaret Atwood, Hilary Mantel, Colum McCann, Anne Enright, Joyce Carol Oates, Peter Carey, Russell Banks, and Julia Alvarez are just a few luminaries who have published stellar biographical novels. But why did this genre come into being mainly in the 20th century? Is it ethical to invent stories about an actual historical figure? What is biofiction uniquely capable of signifying? Why are so many prominent writers now authoring such works? And why are they winning such major awards? In , some of the finest scholars and writers of biofiction clarify what led to the rise of this genre, reflect on its nature and form, and specify what it is uniquely capable of doing. Combining primary and critical material, this accessible reader will be invaluable to students, teachers, and scholars of biofiction.>

About the author

Michael Lackey is Distinguished McKnight University Professor of English at the University of Minnesota, USA. He is the author or editor of eleven books, including of The Modernist God State: A Literary Study of the Nazis’ Christian Reich (Bloomsbury, 2012), Truthful Fictions: Conversations with American Biographical Novelists (2014), and The American Biographical Novel (2016).

Product details

• Authors: Michael Lackey, Professor Michael Lackey
• Assisted by: Michael Lackey (Editor), Lackey Michael (Editor)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.11.2016
• EAN: 9781501317996
• ISBN: 978-1-5013-1799-6
• No. of pages: 488
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > English linguistics / literary studies; LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 20th Century, Literary studies: from c 1900 -, Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers, Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers, Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000, LITERARY CRITICISM / Novel as Form, biofiction; biography; literary criticism