Some 34 essays discussing fiction genres and various national literatures are followed by A-Z entries on more than 1,000 writers. The aim is "to encourage us to experiment in our reading habits." This book's value as a readers' advisory tool is enhanced by the lists of top titles in each category that is covered by the essays and the read-alikes indicated for each author.

antimuzak | May 24, 2009 |

One of my favorite books about books. The first half lists the best books in essential categories. The second half contains short biographies on tons of authors (including "this author is similar to this author"). (

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cursivesmuse | Dec 13, 2008 |

I found this book extremely interesting. The genre essays that comprise the first section of the book were fascinating. Experts in the genres recommend a dozen or so books that exemplify the genre. I was pleasantly surprised by how many I had already read. I did make a list of 24 to read int he future- especially in genres that I am not necessarily drawn to. I may have to buy this volume in the near future. (

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aimless22 | Jun 22, 2008 |

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Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0192100211, Hardcover)

Covering everyone from Leo Tolstoy and Mark Twain to Don De Lillo and Lorrie Moore, Good Fiction Guide offers an informative reference work on novelists and their works, with an emphasis of twentieth-century fiction and popular classics, but with ample coverage of major novelists of the past.
The guide takes us on a stimulating tour of the literary landscape. Here are more than one thousand alphabetically arranged biographies of important novelists, ranging from Chinua Achebe to Emile Zola. There are profiles of leading contemporary writers, such as Ann Beattie, Thomas Pynchon, Jane Smiley, Martin Amis, Amy Tan, Peter Carey, V.S. Naipaul, and Harold Brodkey. The entries provide a flavor of each writer's work, recommend which of their books to read, and include suggestions for related reading, leading you to other writers whose work may be either comparable or an interesting contrast. Equally important, the guide includes 34 essays that illuminate genres such as Crime, Adventure, Romance, and Magic Realism, or offer intriguing looks at the national literatures of such places as Australia, India, and the Caribbean. Each entry is a personal essay by an expert in the field and includes their top twelve recommended titles.
Good Fiction Guide is a perfect road map for everyone exploring the highways and byways of fiction.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:56 -0400)

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