Front matter
1. Fiction and the novel 1–7
2. History, genre, culture 9–26
3. Shorter fiction 27–39
4. Realism, modernism, postmodernism – and beyond 41–73
5. Popular fiction 75–122
6. Analysing fiction 123–165
7. Studying the novel 167–187
8. Critical approaches to fiction 189–207
9. Versions, adaptations, translations 209–226
10. World Literature and fiction 227–260

Now in its eighth edition, Studying the Novel is an authoritative introduction to the study of the novel at undergraduate level. Updated throughout to explore more sub-genres of the novel, disability studies as a critical approach, and literatures of the apartheid in relation to world literature, the book also now includes a whole new chapter exploring the expansion and diversification of the canon studied to consider digital advances, the study of popular fiction genres, the graphic form, and children’s literature.

Providing a complete guide to studying the novel in one easy-to-read volume, the book covers:

• The form of the novel

• The history of the novel, from its earliest days to new electronic forms

• Realism, modernism and postmodernism and contemporary fiction

• Analysing fiction: narrative, character, structure, theme and dialogue

• Critical approaches to studying the novel

• Practical guidance on critical reading, secondary criticism, electronic resources and essay writing

• Versions and adaptations

Studying the Novel also includes a number of features to help readers navigate the book and find key information quickly, including chapter summaries throughout, novel excerpts to illustrate theoretical and analytical concepts, a comprehensive glossary of terms and an historical timeline on the development of the novel, while annotated guides to further reading and discussion questions help students master the topics covered.