Learning From Literature

Guide To The Genres Of Literature

Within the realm of books, there exists many genres of literature, each offering its unique flavor and narrative landscape. These descriptions serve as a guide for readers, helping you navigate the variety and find the ones that resonate most deeply with your interests and preferences.

In addition, each genre boasts numerous subgenres that offer more specific descriptions of books. For example, The Hunger Games is technically science fiction but fits better into the dystopian or young adult subcategories. One Hundred Years of Solitude is fantasy but best described as magical realism. Into Thin Air is travel writing with elements of a memoir.

This is not an all-encompassing list, but just the main categories. Also, poetry and dramas are not categorized as genres but rather as subsets of literature.

Enjoy!

Fiction

Classics

Classic novels have stood the test of time, celebrated for enduring themes, deep characters, and profound understanding of humanity. These novels come from a variety of time periods and genres (“classic” isn’t a true genre) and are not only known for their powerful story but their impact on literature as a whole, from creating new genres to introducing a new writing style. Many are staples of high school reading lists.

Popular examples of classic novels include To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Recommendations:

Historical Fiction

Historical fiction intertwines fictional stories with real-world historical settings, often blurring the line between fact and fiction. Through vivid storytelling, it offers insight into different time periods and cultures, providing fresh perspectives on familiar events and shedding light on lesser-known aspects of the past. Readers can experience history along with entertainment.

Popular examples of historical fiction novels include The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. 

Recommendations:

  • The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
  • The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Contemporary Fiction

Contemporary fiction books can be defined (in my mind at least) by not clearly fitting into any other genre. These novels are set in the present and reflect modern society’s issues and complexities. As such, these works delve into a range of themes, from relationships and identity to technology and globalization. 

Popular examples of contemporary fiction novels include Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins.

Recommendations:

  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Science Fiction

Science fiction, or sci-fi, explores futuristic science and technology. Therefore, common themes include space exploration or time travel. “Hard” sci-fi prioritizes scientific accuracy, detailing plausible technologies. “Soft” sci-fi delves into societal, historical, political, psychological, and economic themes without explaining futuristic technology workings. Dystopian novels are a huge subgenre, which portray a grim future with societal decay (think 1984 and The Hunger Games).

Popular examples of science fiction novels include Dune by Frank Herbert and The Martian by Andy Weir.

Recommendations:

Mystery

Mystery novels revolve around… a mystery! Typically, a detective or amateur sleuth must solve a crime or puzzle, often featuring suspenseful plot twists, red herrings, and the gradual unraveling of clues to keep readers engaged. 

Popular examples of mystery novels include Murder On The Orient Express by Agatha Christie and The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

Recommendations:

Romance

Romance novels revolve around love and relationships, often featuring protagonists who navigate the highs and lows of romantic entanglements. With romance used as a plot-development feature in so many books, it can be hard to distinguish what genre. For example, one popular subgenre is “romantasy” (a blend of romance and fantasy). The key is whether the romantic relationship is central to the plot.

Popular examples of romance novels include The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

Recommendations:

  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Fantasy

Fantasy novels involve magical elements, such as unique powers, mythical creatures, and more. These can be set within an alternate universe or a real-world setting, showcasing some of the best examples of imagination in literature. High fantasy unfolds in entirely fictional realms, while low fantasy subtly integrates magic into familiar, real-world settings. Famous subgenres include magical realism, dark academia, and more. 

Popular examples of fantasy novels include The Lord Of The Rings series by JRR Tolkien and The Game of Thrones by George RR Martin. 

Recommendations:

  • The Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
  • Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Thriller

Thriller novels utilize psychological fear to heighten suspense, characterized by intense pacing and high-stakes plots that keep readers’ heart rates rising. Subgenres vary, employing different elements like human psychology (psychological thrillers) or action (espionage thrillers) to drive the suspense.

Popular examples of thriller novels include Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. 

Recommendations:

  • The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
  • In The Woods by Tana French

Westerns

Western fiction unfolds in the untamed American West, spanning late 18th to late 19th centuries. Themes of rugged individualism and justice prevail, with plots featuring frontier life, including cowboys, outlaws, gunfights, exploration, cattle driving, the gold rush, and prairie settlements.

Popular examples of western novels include Hondo by Louis L’Amour and Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.

Recommendations:

  • Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
  • The Revenant by Michael Punke

Adventure Fiction

Adventure fiction takes readers on thrilling journeys filled with action, danger, and discovery. These stories feature brave protagonists overcoming obstacles to achieve their goals across various settings, from seas to sports arenas. While commonly overlapping with other genres, the plot is driven by action. 

Popular examples of adventure fiction novels include Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe and Moby-Dick by Herman Melville.

Recommendations:

Horror

Horror literature instills fear and discomfort in readers, delving into the supernatural, psychological, or grotesque to unsettle audiences. Elements differ based on the subgenre and can range from subtle and suggestive to graphic and explicit.

Popular examples of horror novels include The Shining (and any other) by Stephen King and The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty.

Recommendations:

  • Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  • Dracula by Bram Stoker

Short Stories

Short stories are brief narratives, often focusing on a single theme or event with few characters and a concise plot, yet they deliver impactful endings and memorable moments. They’re frequently compiled into collections by authors or themes, offering accessibility for exploring diverse aspects of human life. Many famous authors dabbled in short stories, from Jack London and Mark Twain to Ernest Hemingway and Franz Kafka.

Popular examples of short stories include Edgar Allen Poe and Ernest Hemingway’s collections.

Recommendations:

Graphic Novels

Graphic novels, distinct for their blend of pictures and words, offer storytelling akin to comics for adults, providing a fusion of art and text. Often, popular movies and books are adapted into this format, such as Dune.

Popular examples of graphic novels include Watchmen by Alan Moore and The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman

Young Adult

Young adult novels, or YA, cater to teenage readers featuring adolescent protagonists navigating coming-of-age journeys with deep and relatable themes despite their accessible plots. While catering to teenage readers, they can be enjoyed by people of all ages and are commonly some of the most well known works.

Popular examples of young adult novels include the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling and The Outsiders by SE Hinton.

Recommendations:

Children’s

Children’s books target readers under twelve, spanning from early childhood to middle-school years, with themes, characters, and complexity tailored to specific age ranges. The targeted age group influences the content, ensuring age-appropriate engagement and understanding.

Popular examples of children’s books include Charlotte’s Web by EB White and The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis

Non-Fiction

Autobiographies / Memoir

Autobiographies and memoirs recount the author’s personal experiences, offering insights into their life, achievements, struggles, and growth. Popular examples of autobiographies / memoirs include I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and Becoming by Michelle Obama. 

Recommendations:

  • The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
  • Educated by Tara Westover

Biographies

Biographies chronicle the life story of a particular person, providing an in-depth exploration of their achievements, challenges, and impact on society. Popular examples of biographies include Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.

Recommendations:

  • Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
  • Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Self-Help

Self-help books provide guidance, advice, and strategies aimed at personal growth, development, and improvement in various aspects of life. Popular examples of self-help books include Atomic Habits by James Clear and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.

Recommendations:

History

History books explore past events, societies, and individuals, offering insights into how the world has evolved and shaped the present. Popular examples of history books include A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer.

Recommendations:

  • The Ultimate List Of History Books

Travel

Travel writing captures the author’s experiences and observations while journeying to different places, offering a vivid portrayal of cultures, landscapes, and adventures from around the world. Popular examples of travel writing include On the Road by Jack Kerouac and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer.

Recommendations:

  • Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
  • Leave Only Footprints by Conor Knighton

Science

Science books encompass the exploration, study, and understanding of the natural world through observation, experimentation, and empirical evidence. Popular examples of science books include A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking and Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.

Recommendations:

  • Brief Answers to Big Questions by Stephen Hawking

Business

Business literature covers the principles, strategies, and practices related to commerce, management, entrepreneurship, and economics, providing understanding of organizational dynamics, markets, and personal finance. Popular examples of business books include A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel and The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham.

Recommendations:

Philosophy / Ethics 

Philosophy and ethics literature examines fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, and morality, encouraging reflection on the principles that guide human behavior and societal norms. Popular examples of philosophy / ethics books include The Prince by Machiavelli and anything written by Nietzsche, Epictetus, Aristotle, Sartre, Kant, or Hobbes. 

Recommendations:

  • Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
  • The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday
  • The Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama XIV and Howard C. Cutler

Religion

Religious books delve into the beliefs, practices, rituals, and doctrines of various faiths, offering insight into spirituality, morality, and the human quest for meaning and transcendence. Popular examples of religious books include any holy text of the major faiths and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. 

Additional nonfiction genres include food, photography, art, mathematics, sports, home, health, parenting, gardening, law, and many more!

Check out more General Literature Articles!