The point of this blog is partly to post-up material relating to each of the novels as we cover them, week by week; and partly to coordinate more general discussion about these novels, the Booker Prize, and contemporary fiction as a whole. I also want to use this site as a record of some of the things covered in lectures and seminars: hopefully that will be useful to you. Accordingly some of the stuff here will duplicate material from the course booklet (which you all have); but some won't.
The way to get the best out of this course, and to do well on it, is to read as widely as you can, and take as active an interest as you can in the state of the contemporary novel, in prizes and the prizegiving culture, and in the questions of aesthetic and commercial judgment they entail. The course doesn't encompass this year's Booker Prize, but I urge you to at the least follow the reviews and news coverage of the shortlisted titles, and if possible read a couple, in addition to doing the reading for the course itself.
I have put some links on the sidebar: some of these are relevant to the course, and some more general. Some of the links are to pieces I've written about previous Booker titles, or to reviews of this year's shortlist.
If there's anything you would like to see posted or linked on this site, please let me know. Otherwise I'd like to see people contributing to the blog, and the course as a whole, in the comments threads ... don't be shy. I will look favourably upon students who get active enough to contribute. [Adam Roberts]
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THE BOOKER PRIZE:
AESTHETICS AND COMMERCE IN CONTEMPORARY FICTION
AESTHETICS AND COMMERCE IN CONTEMPORARY FICTION
Tutor: Prof Adam Roberts. Half Unit
By presenting Booker Prize-winning novels of the last decade this course aims to develop a critical awareness of some aesthetic trends in contemporary fiction in English and to enable an assessment of these trends in relation to the book trade and the media industries. Students will gain a detailed knowledge of selected contemporary novels; a critical awareness of British literary prize culture, with particular reference to the Booker Prize; an understanding of fiction as a commodity; and an awareness of various aspects of the book trade and roles played by writer, agent, publisher and reviewer. The ability to demonstrate use of the Internet as a research tool is also strongly encouraged on this course.
TEACHING
The course is taught by a one-hour lecture and a one-hour seminar each week.
COURSE WORK
Required Reading. You will have to read a novel for each week’s seminar. You may also be required to do some other reading (for example, a short essay or extract). If you have not done the reading, you will be unable either to learn or to contribute usefully to the seminar. As a result, the seminar leader may, at his or her discretion, ask you to leave the seminar and mark you absent without reason.
Additional Reading. Suggestions for additional reading can be found throughout this booklet. Though the reading of the primary text is always the priority, this additional reading will form a major basis of writing essays, preparing presentations and, ultimately, taking the examination.
Essays. You are expected to write one essay of 1,000 - 1,500 words during the term. Essay questions and further information about a handing-in date and submission procedures will be distributed during the term. Essays will be due in Week 5.
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment of this half unit is in the form of an examined essay of 2,500-3,000 words. Examined essay titles will be given out towards the end of the term. For further information on assessment criteria, please consult the student handbook.
FEEDBACK
If you have any issues you wish to discuss during the course, please contact Adam Roberts, either in the department or via e-mail at a.c.roberts@rhul.ac.uk.
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