This list, from one of my favorite literary blogs, The Elegant Variation, is too funny not to pass along. First there was “chick lit,” followed by “dick lit” as the young men had their day. Could these categories be next?
A TAXONOMY OF LIT
The Independent's recent article christening yet another genre - Hic Lit (drinking memoirs) - got us thinking about what's left and what's to come, and we decided to get out ahead of as many remaining "lits" as possible:
Brick Lit - Back-breaking tomes. (See Infinite Jest, Rising Up and Rising Down.)
Schtick Lit - Footnotes, characters named for colors, and other look-at-me machinations. (See Special Topics in Calamity Physics and, again, Infinite Jest.)
Mick Lit - The literature of Ireland. (See Banville, John and Ruland, Jim.)
Slick Lit - Polite, correct fiction, polished to a high sheen. (See Bridge of Sighs.)
Hick Lit - The fiction of Richard Ford (See A Multitude of Sins)
Lick Lit - Sapphic fiction. (See Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit.)
Nick Lit - Books stolen from other books. (See How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life)
Prick Lit - Novels written by (Insert the Angry Young Literary Man of your choice.) Also novels with unpleasant protagonists. (See Lolita and the fiction of Richard Ford.)
Sick Lit - Novels calculated to shock or revolt. (See Fight Club)
Thick Lit - Tales of the weight-challenged. (See She's Come Undone.)
Vick Lit - Novels of animal cruelty. (See Julius Winsome.)
Quick Lit - Novels turned out with alarming frequency. (See His Illegal Self, and Oates, Joyce Carol.)
The direct link is here; do check out the comments section, with some worthy additions to this fine list.
