Historical Fiction

[Connavar]

Heh if its like that then everything becomes historical fiction as time goes along.


I mean will modern books about today's society be historical fiction despite they are about cops or vamps or whatever.


I thought Historical Fiction was history and historical characters in fiction.

[Snowdog]

Hmm, I see your point. I suppose it ought to be a modern day writer (whenever they are writing) writing about something in their past, in which case Sherlock Holmes wouldn't qualify. But someone today writing about the London of Sherlock's time would.

How do people classify Jane Austen these days? She was writing about her own times though to us it's 200 years ago. I think it's really only important so you know which section of Waterstones to look in.

[murphy]

Originally Posted by Snowdog

Hmm, I see your point. I suppose it ought to be a modern day writer (whenever they are writing) writing about something in their past, in which case Sherlock Holmes wouldn't qualify. But someone today writing about the London of Sherlock's time would.

How do people classify Jane Austen these days? She was writing about her own times though to us it's 200 years ago. I think it's really only important so you know which section of Waterstones to look in.

I think books that last 200 years and are still read would be called "classics". I have read and reread Austin and still plan on doing more rereading.

[Connavar]

She better be classic cause every year in english classes the teacher tortured us with her and her books and watching tv movie after another based on her books


Reading her as an adult i dont see whats the fuss about her. She is not that great of a writer. Her topic wasnt that interesting too.

I would have prefered if they spent half much that time in school on Charles Dickens. Much better stories there.

[manephelien]

Yeah, it's funny. They did a test where an unknown writer sent in scripts to various British publishers, and they were straight copies from Austen. Only one out of 18 script readers recognized it as Austen-like, and none would have accepted it for publication. It was somewhere on the BBC news site last week, but now I can't find it anymore.

Sometimes people need to look beyond a work, surely just because it has lasted 200 years doesn't mean it's still better than stuff being published today.

[murphy]

Originally Posted by Connavar of Rigante

She better be classic cause every year in english classes the teacher tortured us with her and her books and watching tv movie after another based on her books


Reading her as an adult i dont see whats the fuss about her. She is not that great of a writer. Her topic wasnt that interesting too.

I would have prefered if they spent half much that time in school on Charles Dickens. Much better stories there.

Originally Posted by manephelien

Yeah, it's funny. They did a test where an unknown writer sent in scripts to various British publishers, and they were straight copies from Austen. Only one out of 18 script readers recognized it as Austen-like, and none would have accepted it for publication. It was somewhere on the BBC news site last week, but now I can't find it anymore.

Sometimes people need to look beyond a work, surely just because it has lasted 200 years doesn't mean it's still better than stuff being published today.

It's probably a matter of personal taste. I like Jane Austin and do find her books interesting. Other people don't. Differences of opinion makes life interesting. If we all thought the same, it would be very dull.

[Snowdog]

Originally Posted by Connavar of Rigante

She better be classic cause every year in english classes the teacher tortured us with her and her books and watching tv movie after another based on her books


Reading her as an adult i dont see whats the fuss about her. She is not that great of a writer. Her topic wasnt that interesting too.

I would have prefered if they spent half much that time in school on Charles Dickens. Much better stories there.

We did Dickens in school, not Austen. I read Austen for pleasure, though some of her books are definitely better than others. I can't read Dickens at all now, having to plow though Bleak House at school ruined him for me.