Non-fiction to Fiction – How to Advise?

Carrie W. had an interesting question the other day.  She had a patron who mostly read non-fiction who was interested in switching over to fiction, and wondered what other librarians might ask to get that readers advisory interview started.

So here’s your chance!  Tell us how you would go about helping this patron!  Thanks!  (Carol J.)

Street Lit in the NYT

Urban fiction, street lit, gangsta lit.  Whatever you want to call it (and I think we should all call it gangsta lit.  Say it with me now: GANGsta lit.  Oh yeah, you’re down.), it’s pretty hot even in our suburban library system. 

The New York Times thinks so too, and recently published a story on the topic–From the Streets to the Libraries–which has been making the rounds among librarians in the know. 

It’s an interesting article and gives some interesting perspective about the genre.  But one thing the article kind of skates over is the loss factor.  It’s mentioned briefly: “the library’s embrace has been great for business, since libraries buy multiple copies and reorder when they wear out or disappear.”  But that’s it.  And I think that’s a big concern for many libraries–especially in uncertain economic times when budgets may not allow for replacement.

For more, check out the always entertaining comments section.  (Apparently many readers are a little offended that libraries are still being described as “prim”!  Yeah!)  One commentor also posted a link to ringShout: A Place for Black Literature, which has a great list of contemporary black literature. 

So what are YOUR thoughts on gangsta lit?

Manfiction, Baby!

Last week, in Entertainment Weekly, columnist Stephen King discusses the idea that the male audience for fiction is disappearing, since most bestsellers on the fiction list are by women.  He makes the case that men love escapist, entertaining fiction just as much as women do, and gives a selection of authors he highly recommends for a good, manly read, including Robert B. Parker, John D. MacDonald and Lee Child. 

I’d also put local favorite Vince Flynn on the favorite Manfiction list.  Who are your best Manfiction bets?  (Carol J.)

Roman a Clefs

Roman a Clefs (or Novel with a Key) are novels describing real-life behind a façade of fiction.  (Thank you, Wikipedia for the excellent description!)   These novels can be deliciously trashy at their best, and fun reading even at their worst.  Two of the most popular of recent years were The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger, about a woman working for a thinly fictionalized Vogue magazine and its editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, and The Nanny Diaries about nannying for the denizens of the Upper East Side. 

The publishing industry is particularly rich in these novels.  There’s Because She Can by Birdie Clark (based on notorious publisher Judith Regan), Falling Out of Fashion by Karen Yampolsky (an admiring portrayal of Jane Pratt), and Little Pink Slips by Sally Koslow (based on the fallout after Rosie O’Donnell took over McCall’s).    A particularly dishy and fun Hollywood roman a clef is The Twins of Tribeca by Rachel Pine.  This is hilarious reading for anyone interested in the movie industry as it provides a skewering look at the endlessly fascinating Weinstein brothers.  (Carol J.)

Hot Summer Reads for 2008

Jennifer D. sent this link to this Star Tribune article:  The Browser: Books for Summer Pleasure.  It includes descriptions of a variety of new titles due in May that are sure to be summer hits, including titles by John Sandford, Stephenie Meyer, and Marisa de los Santos.  Get your name on the requests lists before they fill up! (Carol J.)