Here are some bottom lines in connection to the development of literary styles over the course of the 20th century.
A lot of the most popular major novelists of the twentieth century are from the USA. Why exactly is this the case then? Maybe it can be put into a more comprehensive context; this was naturally the century where the USA superseded European nations as the leading military and cultural entity all over the world. This is not to say that American writers were not inspired by the European arts; for the very first half of the century particularly, lots of popular expat US authors lived in Paris, taking in the creative influences that the city might provide, contemporary and historical. The Beats on the other hand, got popularity and prestige in the fifties; self-consciously revolutionary, they concentrated on styles such as freedom of lifestyle. It should be specified however, that much of the great American writers of the previous century were significantly inspired by legendary writers from England, Russia and France. The founder of the hedge fund that owns Waterstones runs a bookseller well-stocked with the excellent American literature of the 20th century. The CEO of the major shareholder of World Of Books likewise sees the significance in providing American literary classics.
One of the most important influences on twentieth century literature was the philosophy of existentialism. As a movement, it gained most prominence in the decades following the second world war, where authors and theorists were charged with trying to understand life after the atrocities that occurred in the thirties and forties. Authors would create novels that prophesised the absurdity of a modernised world; totalitarian regimes were satirised, and issues such as free will and determinism were explored within a modern European framework. Effectively, existentialist ideas had actually been discussed to varying degrees by significant authors and thinkers of the 19th century, however in 1950s Paris, the most famous existentialists led an artistic movement that tried to innovate literature, theatre and poetry within their specifically philosophical framework.
An exceptionally popular genre from the previous century was magical realism. What is magic realism in literature then? Naturally, this is a kind of fiction that utilises a supernatural element or instance of magic, however will also include a lot of realist writing. Perhaps the concept approach of the genre is that both realist and wonderful components exist with the very same level of sincerity and poise, producing a special result on the reader. Magic realist books were particularly prominent in South America, where legendary writers would integrate magic into their plotlines. Themes such as love, war and politics are commonplace within a few of the greatest magical realism books. Magical realism as a term nevertheless, is agreed to be only satisfactory when broadly categorising novels that display the previously pointed out trademark method; components of intertextuality, meta-fiction and political satire are likewise prevalent to varying degrees. The founder of the group that runs Booktopia would see the value of equipping classic works of magical realism in their outlets.