Böcker av David Madden

A literary criticism on the works of author James M. Cain by David Madden.

James M. Cain was among the prominent member of the "hard-boiled" school of writing that characterized the 1930s and 1940s, one of the masters of the genre that included Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. His novels became such popular film noir classics as The Postman always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, and Mildred Pierce, and his 1937 novel Serenade boldly portrayed its hero as a bisexual. Cain also taught journalism at various colleges in Maryland, wrote editorials for the New York World, and was for a brief time managing editor at The New Yorker. This is the first biography of James M. Cain written with the full cooperation of the late novelist's family.

When the first edition of David Madden's A Primer of the Novel: For Readers and Writers was published more than twenty-five years ago, there were no other books of its kind available. Since then, many authors and editors have produced works that attempt the same comprehensive coverage of the genre. However, these works tend to be either written solely for writers or solely for readers. More often than not, those written for readers tend to be aimed at advanced students or critics of the novel. In this revised edition, David Madden, Charles Bane and Sean Flory have produced an updated work that is intended for a general readership including writers, teachers, and students who are just being introduced to the genre. This unique handbook provides a definition and history of the novel, a description of early narratives, and a discussion of critical approaches to this literary form. A Primer of the Novel also identifies terms, definitions, commentary, and examples in the form of quotations for almost 50 types of novels and 15 artistic techniques. A chronology of narrative in general and of the novel in particular-from 850 B. C. to the present-is also included, along with indexes to authors, titles, novel types and techniques, as well as a selective bibliography of criticism. Although all novel types present in the first edition are still represented, many have become more clearly defined. This revised edition also cites several types of novels that did not appear in the first edition, such as the graphic novel and the novel of Magical Realism. As well as keeping all of the original examples from representative texts, the authors have added new examples of more recent works. While this book was conceived for a general audience, it will be a valuable resource for students, teachers, and libraries. It may be used in any English literature courses at any level, including graduate, and is suited for creative writing courses as well. With its clear and immediately accessible features, this handbo