Community in Contemporary British Fiction: From Blair to Brexit

This book explores how British writers are addressing the issue of group belonging in the 21st century, combining close reading with engagement with the latest theories and concepts. It focuses on the challenges faced by communities in the past five years, including Brexit and the Covid-19 crisis, and offers detailed discussions of writers such as Ali Smith, Niall Griffiths, John McGregor, Max Porter, Amanda Craig, Bernadine Evaristo, Jonathan Coe, Bernie McGill, Jan Carson, Guy Gunaratne, Anthony Cartright, Barney Farmer, Maggie Gee, and Sarah Hall. It demonstrates the resources that literature can offer for a renewed understanding of community and is essential reading for anyone interested in how British Literature contributes to our understanding of society in both the past and present.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 17 November 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

In this captivating book, a diverse group of international scholars come together to delve into the pressing issue of how British writers are navigating the complexities of forming and expressing group belonging in the twenty-first century. Through a comprehensive exploration of the ongoing crises, developments, and possibilities inherent in representing community in the present, the chapters combine close reading and engaging analysis with the latest theories and concepts to engage with the rich regional diversity of the United Kingdom. Representing writers from all corners of the UK, including Northern Ireland, the book offers a specific focus on the most challenging issues faced by communities in the past five years, such as Brexit and the COVID-19 crisis. This broader understanding of themes of local and national belonging is complemented by detailed discussions of notable writers such as Ali Smith, Niall Griffiths, John McGregor, Max Porter, Amanda Craig, Bernadine Evaristo, Jonathan Coe, Bernie McGill, Jan Carson, Guy Gunaratne, Anthony Cartright, Barney Farmer, Maggie Gee, and Sarah Hall. By demonstrating the valuable resources that literature can offer for a renewed understanding of community, this book serves as an essential reading for anyone interested in exploring how British literature contributes to our understanding of society in both the past and present, and how such understanding can potentially shape our future.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350244023