The Novel Now: Contemporary British Fiction

The Novel Now is a scrupulous and entertaining account of what has happened to British fiction since 1970. It exposes pretentious and self–indulgent writers and celebrates those novelists whose qualities are exceptional. The book will show that enjoyment and critical scrutiny are not mutually exclusive activities; it is designed to appeal both to general readers and scholars. Richard Bradford examines both emerging and celebrated authors, considering the work of rising literary stars and weighing their merits against more established figures. Through rigorous evaluation and reflection, the author takes a look at where literature has been, and where it is going. Incorporating coverage of subgenres such as ‘chick lit’, ‘lad lit’, crime fiction and the historical novel, this volume also examines the ways in which gender, sexuality and sexual orientation have been addressed in fiction over the past three decades.

Preface. Acknowledgements. Part I: Realism Versus Modernism: Win, Lose or Draw? . 1. Before Now. A Brief Account of the Pre–1970s British Novel. 2. Something Unusual: Martin Amis and Ian McEwan. 3. The Effects of Thatcherism. 4. The New Postmodernists. Part II: Excursions From the Ordinary. 5. The New Historical Novel. 6. Crime and Spy Fiction. Part III: Sex . 7. Women. 8. Men. 9. Gay Fiction. Part IV: Nation, Race and Place . 10. Scotland. 11. England, Englishness and Class. 12. The Question of Elsewhere. 13. Wales. 14. The Troubles. 15. Epilogue: The State of the Novel. Select Bibliography: Recommended Further Reading. Index

Richard Bradford is Professor of English at the University of Ulster. He has published 14 books on a variety of topics, from Milton to literary theory to post–war British literature. His recent biographies of Kingsley Amis ( Lucky Him: The Life of Kingsley Amis, 2001) and Philip Larkin ( First Boredom, Then Fear: The Life of Philip Larkin , 2005) have received excellent reviews.

“It is keenly aware and neatly arranged in examining individual authors and their unique qualities while also tracing connecting threads within the many works of the British novel. Bradford … also establishes deep contexts for his work and the works he examines.” ( Evelyn Waugh Newsletter And Studies ) "This survey of a vast field is elegantly managed, with agreeable readings along the way." (The Guardian) "Bradford is formidable, bracing and wildly stimulating" (The Telegraph) Praise for Richard Bradford’s previous works: For Lucky Him: The Life of Kingsley Amis "sharp and convincing… written with magisterial skill" (The Daily Telegraph) "perceptive… intelligent… written with an unstrident ease and sympathy that would surely have pleased his subject" ( The Spectator) For First Boredom, Then Fear: The Life of Philip Larkin "quite the best book [on him] yet to appear… a masterful analysis… Bradford is in such complete command of his subject matter, nothing escapes him. It is as if he has had access to Larkin’s very thought processes. A great biography of a great artistic genius. Utterly magnificent" (The Daily Express) "extraordinary… quite the best thing to appear on Larkin in ages" (The London Evening Standard)