Horror Fiction in the 20th Century: Exploring Literature's Most Chilling Genre
by Jess Nevins
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Description
Providing an indispensable resource for academics as well as readers interested in the evolution of horror fiction in the 20th century, this book provides a readable yet critical guide to global horror fiction and authors. Horror Fiction in the 20th Century encompasses the world of 20th-century horror literature and explores it in a critical but balanced fashion. Readers will be exposed to the world of horror literature, a truly global phenomenon during the 20th century. Beginning with show more the modern genre's roots in the 19th century, the book proceeds to cover 20th-century horror literature in all of its manifestations, whether in comics, pulps, paperbacks, hardcover novels, or mainstream magazines, and from every country that produced it. The major horror authors of the century receive their due, but the works of many authors who are less well-known or who have been forgotten are also described and analyzed. In addition to providing critical assessments and judgments of individual authors and works, the book describes the evolution of the genre and the major movements within it. Horror Fiction in the 20th Century stands out from its competitors and will be of interest to its readers because of its informed critical analysis, its unprecedented coverage of female authors and writers of color, and its concise historical overview. show lessTags
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A book that covers the history and evolution of the horror genre in literature from the 19th century to the present day. The book examines the various trends, movements, subgenres, and influences that shaped horror fiction in different regions and periods, as well as the major authors and works that defined the genre. The book also explores the social, cultural, and political contexts that influenced horror fiction, and how horror fiction responded to the changing times and events. The book is divided into three parts: the Golden Age of Horror (1901-1939), the Silver Age of Horror (1940-1979), and the Modern Age of Horror. Each part covers the main developments and characteristics of horror fiction in that era, as well as the diversity show more and innovation of horror writers from various backgrounds, countries, and media. The book is a comprehensive and critical survey of horror fiction that aims to provide a deeper understanding of the genre and its impact on literature and culture.
Lots of new books added to the pile for me, especially things I passed on before form the Golden and Silver age of horror. The coverage of the modern era seemed a bit rushed and his international author spotlight could have used a bit of curation, lots of interesting sounding works but no translations. show less
Lots of new books added to the pile for me, especially things I passed on before form the Golden and Silver age of horror. The coverage of the modern era seemed a bit rushed and his international author spotlight could have used a bit of curation, lots of interesting sounding works but no translations. show less
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28 works; 1 member
Author Information
26+ Works 860 Members
Jess Nevins is a reference librarian at Lone Star College in Tomball, Texas.
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Common Knowledge
- First words
- I could give many reasons for writing this book, but ultimately they boil down to this: I didn't feel that previous histories of horror had done the job right. That is, while other books have covered aspects of the history of... (show all) horror literature, none of them did what I wanted them to do. None of them included modern Gothics; none of them made more than a token attempt at discussing horror literature outside of the United State, the United Kingdom, and western Europe; none of them addressed horror written by LGBTQ+ people or African Americans or Australian Aborigines; and none of them discussed horror comics and manga. -Introduction: Why Write About Horror?
The beginning of British horror's "golden age" arguably takes place in the early 1880s, with the appearance of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Thrawn Janet" (1881) and Margaret Oliphant's "The Open Door" (1882). By 1894, British ho... (show all)rror writers were aware that they were working in a specific genre of literature rather than in the mainstream. -Chapter One, British Writers - Canonical DDC/MDS
- 809.38738
- Canonical LCC
- PN6071.H727 .N485
Classifications
- Genres
- Literature Studies and Criticism, Nonfiction, Fiction and Literature
- DDC/MDS
- 809.38738 — Literature & rhetoric Literature, rhetoric & criticism History, description, critical appraisal of more than two literatures Fiction Genre Fiction Mystery and Speculative Fiction
- LCC
- PN6071 .H727 .N485 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Collections of general literature
- BISAC
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- 23
- Popularity
- 1,143,572
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (4.00)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 2
