Popular Literature

I. Introduction

Most of us have spent at least one delightful and lazy day reading at the beach or at the
park, in a hammock at home or at a mountain camp site. Usually, the books we choose for such
a delicious interlude are ones that have a vivid and exciting plot, lots of sensory imagery, and
one or two engaging characters. We refer to these books casually as Beach Reading or Escape
Reading - and sometimes we even say "junk" reading. But book lovers of all stripes (from those
who love the literary to those who never venture beyond the dime novel) will often have
favorites among the more "popular" books. Sometimes, even, very difficult and sophisticated
literary books are found in Beach Bags and on Lounge Chairs!

II. Discussion

When does Popular Fiction begin?

The formal, publishing category of "Popular Fiction" begins in the 19th Century - a time
when wider literacy and cheaper printing make books available to middle-and-lower-class
readers. But, if we just look at the phenomena of popular stories, genre literature goes back to
the earliest folk tales and continues in privately-circulated manuscripts throughout history. We
think of "Tarzan" as being a creature of the 20th Century - a "popular" hero. Still and all, the
concept of the "wild man of the forest" shows up in tales from our earliest beginnings. Enkidu,
the friend of Gilgamesh (in the epic tale of Gilgamesh), was a rough and wild outsider, raised in
the forest. The oldest surviving manuscripts that tell this story are from a couple of eons ago,
but we know they came originally from ancient Sumerian times - 3000 BC or thereabouts! (This
epic also includes an account of "The Flood" - another popular tale!)

So we do know that stories which engage the attention of many people over time have always
existed and continue to inspire popular literature. We have always been fascinated with
Romances, with Adventures, with Ghosts and Monsters and Crimes. However, once the "book"
became a part of entertainment options for the masses, though, we had a flowering of new
stories and themes. And, after 1900, when American Literature came to be appreciated and
American writers challenged the dominance of British writers in English, the categories, and the
differences between "literature" and "dime fiction" became muddier. Also, after 1900, a wider
readership and better distribution of books encouraged the recognition of even more new
movements, genres, and writers.

Popular Literary Genres

The most popular book genres succeed in a variety of formats. From the hardcover you
might buy at your local bookstore to the softcover on an airport book rack to the ebook you
read on your tablet to the audiobook that you stream on your phone, bestsellers manage to
reach readers in all corners of the publishing industry. Here is a survey of the different genres
that routinely produce bestselling books:

1.  Romance

 Romance novels are perhaps the most popular genre in terms of book sales. Romance
novels are sold in grocery store checkout lines, in monthly shipments from publishers to
readers, and online, as well as via self-publishing services. Readers tend to be loyal to their
favorite authors within the romance genre. Popular romance subgenres include paranormal
romance and historical romance.

2. Mystery

Many popular mystery books draw a large readership, especially if they’re part of a
larger series. Mystery novels start with an exciting hook, keep readers interested with
suspenseful pacing, and end with a satisfying conclusion that answers all of the reader’s
outstanding questions. Popular mystery subgenres include cozy mysteries, true crime
novels, whodunits, scientific mysteries, hard boiled detective stories, and police procedural.

3.  Fantasy and science fiction

Fantasy books often take place in a time period different from our own. They often
feature magical creatures, from worldly wizards to murderous zombies. Many sci-fi stories
take place in a dystopian past or future. Science fiction books can have a historical setting,
but most are set in the future and deal with the ramifications of technological and scientific
 advancement. Fantasy subgenres include urban fantasy, steampunk, high fantasy, epic
fantasy, dark fantasy, and sword and sorcery. Meanwhile, certain fiction genres like magical
realism blend the pulpy appeal of fantasy with the challenging techniques found in literary
fiction. Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude is a good example of this
crossover.

4. Thrillers and horror

Closely related to mysteries and sometimes fantasy, thrillers and horror ratchet up the
suspense and shock of popular genre fiction. Authors like David Baldacci and Dan
Brown dominate the bestseller list with their thriller titles, while Stephen King reigns as the
master of contemporary horror.

Some example of the Popular Literature:

Jack the Ripper in the London Fog

Infamous murderer Jack the Ripper killed at least five London female prostitutes in 1888.
Never captured, his identity is one of English's most famous unsolved mysteries.

The Great Gatsby is a story about the impossibility of recapturing the past and also the
difficulty of altering one’s future.

To Kill a Mockingbird, novel by Harper Lee, published in 1960. Enormously popular, it was
translated into some 40 languages and sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. In 1961 it
won a Pulitzer Prize. The novel was praised for its sensitive treatment of a child’s awakening to
racism and prejudice in the American South.