2025, books, Mysteries, Words

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I drove down to the Eden Prairie library yesterday to pick up a copy of Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler for the next Blevins.  I’ve seen the Robert Montgomery movie but haven’t actually read the novel yet.

The library app showed it checked so I headed to the Mystery section.  There were a few Chandlers there but not Lady.  Next checked in Fiction; same deal.  Finally decided I should look back at the app to make sure I hadn’t mis-read it.  On the app it showed this particular tome in Non-Fiction.  WT….  Headed back to Non-Fiction, and found it using the Library of Congress classification.  The sign on the shelf said “World Fiction”. 

I didn’t look any farther to see if maybe he’s shelved anywhere else.  I know there are lots of subgenres of all kinds of lit these days but I’m perplexed about why some Chandler is in Mystery, some if in Fiction and some is in World Fiction!

Do you have an author you think should be included on the World Fiction shelves?

46 thoughts on “Search Engine”

    1. I don’t understand the distinction you (or the library) is making and therefore don’t understand the question. What, supposedly qualifies as World Fiction?

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      1. I, too, would be interested in some defining characteristics of World Fiction. I can come up with definitions for Regional Fiction and even National Fiction, but World Fiction has me scratching my head.

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    2. This is exactly my question actually. Seems to me as if the library has somehow lifted Raymond Chandler out of fiction and put him in world fiction. I’ve never heard of world fiction before so I’m thinking this is a little grandiose. I can kind of see the distinction between fiction and mystery but world fiction has got me flummoxed. So I suppose my real question is … do you have any authors who you personally think are worthy of being lifted out of fiction into world fiction. If you’re willing to admit that such a category exists.

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      1. First one would have to define world fiction. I don’t think the article in New Internationalist succeeds in doing that for all its slippery verbosity (and what the heck does post-colonialism have to do with anything?).

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  2. Clearly I don’t get to the library enough. And I’ve got one just down the hall at the college.
    One cold day during winter break daughter and I spent an hour in there. She loves books and libraries. And it was fun just to look through the shelves.

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  4. As opposed to National Literature, I think. From Wiki:
    “World literature is used to refer to the world’s total national literature and the circulation of works into the wider world beyond their country of origin. In the past, it primarily referred to the masterpieces of Western European literature. However, world literature today is increasingly seen in an international context…
    … and there’s this article from The New Internationalist: https://newint.org/features/web-exclusive/2016/09/23/what-exactly-is-world-fiction

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    2. That still doesn’t clarify the intent of Sherrilee’s question. It implies ( to me) that there are authors not included in World Fiction that ought to be. Otherwise what’s the point?

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      1. I suspect some librarian somewhere had some books which defied classification, so the librarian manufactured the title so the book could be shelved somewhere.

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  5. Good for you for being persistent and figuring it out. I would have been stumped.

    The biggest fiction around today is the BS coming from our current regime. Funny how you can fool half the people all of the time. There should be a new library section for idiots and sycophants.

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    1. Agreed. However, I am not sure the BS is fiction. It is starting to look like a shared psychosis between two guys who do not know how to function but have gotten control of a steering wheel to somewhere. (Folie a Deux). I am hoping to survive the ride but the presidential limo is out of control.

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  9. Rise and Shine, Baboons,

    I am having to sort a lot to get to an answer. This is a first time encountering the phrase “World Fiction.” Like Bill I find this distinction a new term and confusing. I am wondering about Ken Follett. Daniel Silva with his “art crimes” fiction takes place in many venues. At that point, then most espionage fiction, including James Bond who I really dislike, is all “world” and truly ridiculous fiction.

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  10. I’m using the idea of books that have authors that have made a difference in my life or that I’ve read repeatedly which I suppose is a way of making a difference in my life. So I’m going with Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle and LeAnne Moriarty and Louise Penny and Ursula LeGuin and Madeleine L’Engle. I’m sure I’ll think of lots more now that I’ve chosen some.

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    2. The World According to Garp
      Let the Great World Spin
      Map of the World
      My World and Welcome to It

      vs, maybe you should go back to the library and engage in some creative shelving.

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  15. As long as we’re creating unnecessary subcategories of fiction, maybe there should be one for “Family Fiction”, comprised of those novels with the unoriginal titles of The (something’s) Wife or The (something’s) Daughter.

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    1. Eight Cousins
      Kristin Lavransdatter
      The Zookeeper’s Wife
      The Time Traveller’s Wife
      The Banker’s Wife
      The Bonesetter’s Daughter
      The Kingmaker’s Daughter
      Star Daughter
      The Captain’s Daughter
      The Memory Maker’s Daughter
      The Hangman’s Daughter
      Rasputin’s Daughter

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