Popular Fiction: The Logics and Practices of a Literary Field

Popular fiction sells in the millions, surrounded by an immense industry of producers, distributors and promoters. Yet despite its prevalence it has often been neglected as a subject for academic study. In this groundbreaking book, Ken Gelder offers a lively and comprehensive account of popular fiction as a distinctive literary and cultural field, tied directly to the logics and practices of entertainment and industry. Drawing on a wide range of popular novelists, from Sir Walter Scott and Marie Corelli to Ian Fleming, J. K. Rowling and Stephen King, the book describes for the first time how the field works, what its distinctive features are, and discusses the ways in which popular fiction is produced, advertised, distributed and read. As well as outlining the key features of this literary field,Popular Fictionalso provides a critical history of three primary genres: romance, crime fiction and science fiction; and looks at the role of bookshops, fanzines and prozines in thedistribution and reception of popular fiction. Finally, it examines five bestselling popular novelists in detail --John Grisham, Michael Crichton, Anne Rice, Jackie Collins and J. R. R. Tolkein - to see how popular fiction is used, discussed and represented in contemporary culture. An essential introduction to this dynamic literary and cultural field,Popular Fictionis ideal for all those interested in the "culture" of popular fiction.

Ken Gelder is a Reader in English at the University of Melbourne, Australia.