Which Writers Are The Hardest To Categorize? (4/24/22)

[Marc]

Which writers do you feel are hard to categorize or whose writing tends to cross too many labels/categories to make the effort worthwhile?

[Tracy]

Jennifer Egan, Richard Powers, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, David Foster Wallace, Haruki Murakami, Marlon James, for starters.

[Franky]

Those are some good ones Tracy. I was having a hard time coming up with some. I seem to enjoy authors that breach seemingly many categories and genres.

[Lily]

Marc wrote: "Which writers do you feel are hard to categorize or whose writing tends to cross too many labels/categories to make the effort worthwhile?"

What labels/categories do you have in mind when you ask that question, Marc? (I was just came across a category called "exilliteratur" this morning. Its Wikipedia entry lists a group of writers who obviously are candidates for such a grouping, but I also think of a number of them as writing into other categories.)

[Marc]

I don’t have any categories or labels in mind, Lily. Some authors just seem easier to describe or summarize. E.g., Stephen King is primarily a horror writer. David Mitchell primarily writes _______. I don’t know how to group his work beyond very broad categories (fiction, literary fiction).

I had never heard the phrase “exilliteratur” — reminds me a little bit of the art label “outsider artist” in its reliance on biography.

Some writers seem to be blend genres or their writing style varies from book to book to a great degree. I’m not sure how I’d describe Ali Smith.

[Hugh]

Lit fic is a useful catch-all

[Robert]

Tracy wrote: "Jennifer Egan, Richard Powers, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, David Foster Wallace, Haruki Murakami, Marlon James, for starters."

Post modernism

[Tracy]

Robert wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Jennifer Egan, Richard Powers, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, David Foster Wallace, Haruki Murakami, Marlon James, for starters."

Post modernism"

Nooooooo! 😂

[Whitney]

Tracy wrote: "Robert wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Jennifer Egan, Richard Powers, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, David Foster Wallace, Haruki Murakami, Marlon James, for starters."

Post modernism"

Nooooooo! 😂"

I feel like you kind of walked into that one, Tracy. Or maybe ran into it head first...

[Tracy]

Whitney wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Robert wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Jennifer Egan, Richard Powers, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, David Foster Wallace, Haruki Murakami, Marlon James, for starters."

Post modernism"

Nooooooo! 😂"
..."
Yeah. Need some aspirin.