Alternate History

I read an article recently about literary fiction authors writing genre so as to make a living, and in the comments a conversation about Science Fiction started up.  One commentator asked why alternate history should be seen as part of SF?  It's a fair question.  Historical fiction, for example, would seem to be a likely home based on the historical factor.  And alternate history doesn't necessarily fit into SF's brief involving technology/science, the future, outer space, etc. However, I think it generally fits in SF, even if it might also fit somewhere else. 

1.  Alternate History often involves technology and science - especially given that SF covers the broad range of science from the hard to the soft. What if the South had gotten advanced weaponry from aliens during the Civil War?  What if aliens visited ancient Britain?  What if the plague had never been, or had been much worse than it was?  What if there had been a gentler, kinder Genghis Khan? 

2.  The purely speculative nature of it seems to belong to a genre which is inherently speculative. Not many, if any, genres ask "What If?" as plainly and often as SF.  So it makes sense that a subgenre that is all about What If would find a home in a genre that's all about What If.

3.  Alternate History asks questions about the nature of our present by questioning our past.  Setting up alternate scenarios sheds light on what actually happened, as well as on the nature of humanity, history, and whatever else might be involved in that particular alternate world.  This is just a different aspect of the questions SF asks every day.

4.  Alternate history is arguably a sub-sub-genre of Alternate Universes - which also stands under the SF umbrella. Quantum mechanics - decision points - what if something went that way instead of this?  All honored aspects of SF. 

Again, this whole business of assigning labels and defining, etc. is fraught with peril.  Appeal is much more important, in my opinion. Alternate History has a broad appeal - for SF and History fans for sure, and beyond depending on what you add into the genre.  Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter - possible appeal to those who like vampires. Is it alternate history?  SF?  Fantasy?  Pure absurdity?

I think this defining genre thing works better as tagging than shelving. When you tag something you can put as many defining tags (or access points) as you'd like on it to find it from a variety of theoretical points of view and intellectual paths. When you shelve a tangible item, you can only put it in one place. (You could theoretically put multiple copies in multiple places, but that way potential chaos arises, especially if you need to pull every copy for some reason, so libraries just don't.) It's another way our intellectual constructs are defined by our experiences and limitations in dealing with the physical world, and it'll be interesting to see how that changes as we go more and more virtual with the data as well as the metadata.

Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Started reading this as an ebook, and then we found a 1970s reprint of the original serial publication in the Strand Magazine, with the original Paget illustrations.  Much different reading experience.  I'd already seen a number of adaptations on the screen - Cumberbatch, Brett, and Cushing, to name a few, and it was interesting to see the differences with canon.

Mostly it was just a really good read, though.  I enjoyed it much more than any of the other Sherlock Holmes material I've read so far.  The gothic is intense and very well done.  The dying ponies!  The escaped convict!  The fog!  The moor!  The baying of the hound!

I also really enjoyed the fact that Doyle's sometimes endless exposition was largely absent by dint of Watson (the narrator) being on the scene for the vast majority of the action. Doyle's style is almost enough to overcome the exposition in most cases, but without the exposition it sparkles.  I also have a theory (based on way too little data :)) that he's better with the long form than the short. 

Reader's Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction by Joyce G. Saricks

Reader's Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction
Joyce G. Saricks
American Library Association
Chicago
2001

Chapter 1:  How to Use this Book.

Got the wrong version - should have the 2009 for the St. Kates class.  I figure I'll read the 2001 as well and have a continuum.

Definition of genre: "Any sizable group of fiction authors and/or specific titles that have similar characteristics and appeal; those are books written to a particular, specific pattern." (Saricks, p.5)

Definitions of the individual genres based on readers' perceptions and expectations.

Genres covered:
Adventure
Fantasy
Gentle Reads
Historical Fiction
Horror
Literary Fiction
Mysteries
Psychological Suspense
Romance
Romantic Suspense
Science Fiction
Suspense
Thrillers
Westerns
Women's Lives and Relationships

She says the book is supposed to be provocative and not prescriptive.

"Frankly, all this genre classification is really antithetical to readers' advisory work, where we focus on what a reader wants to read and cross genres with abandon as we make suggestions. So why devote years of reading and writing to create a book that defines genres and establishes themes and authors? Because understanding fiction is the backbone of our work, and understanding the genres and conventions and the authors that exemplify them is what allow us to move readers from one to another, to be the knowledgeable resources readers expect and deserve." (Saricks, p.12)

"All of us need to give ourselves permission to enjoy reading - of all kinds - and to share that joy with other readers and give them permission to do the same." (Saricks, p.14).  This brings to mind the "Readers' Bill of Rights" by Daniel Pennac and Nancy Pearl's "Rule of 50."

St. Catherine's University class on RA in SF, Fantasy and Horror

A friend of mine and I are taking over a session of a RA class  for the MLIS program St. Catherine's University. Our session is on RA in SF, Fantasy, and Horror.  SF & Fantasy I can do easily, but Horror not so much.  Luckily my friend is much more up on it than I am.

This was recommended by the regular instructor for the class:  Trends in Horror Series by R.A for All:  Horror.  A good layout of recent trends.