Genre Lit Fic

[prusik]

avocadovpx had an interesting entry about Not Science Fiction. There's a favorable review in today's Washington Post of Soon I Will Be Invincible. The review says that it "takes the genre of the superheroic into the realm of literary fiction, where navel-gazing is an established art form." The review also references Michael Chabon and Jonathan Letham. So, my question is that is this Science Fiction, or is it Not Science Fiction?

Clearly, it's being marketed as Not Science Fiction. But review makes it sound like the more the book explores genre, the more literary it is. I'm left with this weird conclusion that exploring genre "within its traditional limits" is literary. Well, if the review insists. (But this makes me wonder is there any writing within genre then that isn't also literary?)

I feel like instead of categorizing books, we ought to be tagging them instead. If someone thinks of a book as literary fiction, that shouldn't mean it can't also be genre fiction at the same time. And the review shouldn't give the impression that this is taking something from the realm of children and making it appropriate for adults. *sigh*

Comments

[prusik.livejournal.com]

Jonathan Lethem originated in SF and, as you know, Bob, will be one of the GoH at next year's ReaderCon!
I think he still considers himself one of us. (Likewise, Carol Joy Fowler, a GoH at this year's ReaderCon isn't afraid of the genre label.)

I don't know about Michael Chabon although there are a lot of fantasy or SF elements in his works. (I'm basing this on the reviews. I haven't read his work yet.)

[krylyr.livejournal.com]

Lethem's gonna be the GoH at next year's ReaderCon? Um, where and when is this!?!

Chabon didn't start writing SF fiction but based on some of his stuff I've read, it's pretty clear he's always been a geek. That or he really knows how to research. I could be wrong, but I don't think he seriously started dabbling in "genre" until post-Kavalier and Clay. He edited an excellent anthology for McSweeney's.

(I highly recommend his short story collection "Werewolves in their Youth" -- I give him a lot of credit for falling in love with short fiction a second time.)

[prusik.livejournal.com]

ReaderCon (http://www.readercon.org/) is in Burlington, MA (a.k.a the MetroWest Boston Area). It's usually around July 4th. However, ReaderCon 19 is July 17-20, 2008.

ReaderCon always has two GoH. For ReaderCon 19, one is Jonathan Lethem. The other is a certain James Patrick Kelly. (I suspect they moved ReaderCon to get him.)

Actually, I think Michael Chabon might have had a story on This American Life. But that would be my only contact with his work so far.

[krylyr.livejournal.com]

I heard that! They read an excerpt of the title story from "Werewolves in Their Youth" not too long ago on TAL.

JPK, too? Damn. You know, aside from the distance, I probably wouldn't be able to go to ReaderCon because that's right around our anniversary, but since the moved the date next time, I will have to consult the boss.