Stranger than Fiction: Lives of the Twentieth Century Novel
(Edwin Frank, Fern Press, £25)
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At first glance, this book's table of contents seems puzzling. Despite running to nearly 500 pages, Frank seems to be using fewer than 50 different novels to represent a hundred years of literary evolution — but appearances can be deceptive. Each chapter is rich with connections between the main work under discussion and many other earlier and later novels by other writers.
We also get detailed dives into the biographical details of the featured author, and careful consideration of prevailing social and political context in which the book was first published.
Be advised, though - this is no dry, dusty academic tome, but rather a highly readable romp through some of the 20th century's key literary milestones. Comes highly recommended as both a reference book, and an enjoyable read in its own right.
This review was first published in Teach Secondary magazine.
