Literary fiction

[3][4]: 115, 131 [5] Literary fiction is often used as a synonym for literature, in the exclusive sense of writings specifically considered to have considerable artistic merit.

Literary fiction may involve a concern with social commentary, political criticism, or reflection on the human condition.

[13] As Terrence Rafferty notes, "Literary fiction, by its nature, allows itself to dawdle, to linger on stray beauties even at the risk of losing its way.

"[14] Other works may be more concerned with style and complexity of the writing: Saricks describes literary fiction as "elegantly written, lyrical, and ...

He also noted that there is a contradiction between these, as "high sales figures are generally taken to mean the author has sold out" and left the literary mainstream.

In English literary studies, the terms "classic book" and "Western canon" are closely related concepts, but they are not necessarily synonymous.

This annual award is presented to a writer from any country who has, in the field of literature, produced the most outstanding work in an idealistic direction.

The International Booker Prize is a similar British award given for outstanding literary fiction translated into English.

"[26] In an interview, John Updike lamented that "the category of 'literary fiction' has sprung up recently to torment people like me who just set out to write books, and if anybody wanted to read them, terrific, the more the merrier ...

"[27] Likewise, on The Charlie Rose Show, Updike argued that this term, when applied to his work, greatly limited him and his expectations of what might come of his writing, so he does not really like it.