The literature industry has been on the decline of the tightly knit synonym, with less people buying books and reading them. This is because of the endless supply of entertainment that is easily accessible and instantaneously consumable. Aside from digital publications, people can now subscribe to a written magazine or go online to watch a television series or full-length movie. There are less people who are reading books in print and there are no children’s books being published right now. This shift in popularity has created backlash among the literary community who believe that literary works still have a place in society.
1. The Literary Artists Coalition (LAC)
At the 2014 New York Book Fair, the LAC was formed. The organization was created to promote creative freedom of art and literature in society. They believe that works of art should be widely and freely distributed. They also want to give more power to literary artists and writers, who are currently being outgunned by other industries. To achieve this, they will create new strategies that will help them achieve their goals and make art a more important part of social life again.
2. The Prestigious Library of Alexandria
This library is a modern-day attempt at recreating one of the most influential libraries in history. The library was destroyed in 447 BC by the Roman Empire, but it is believed that most of its works had been lost. A modern-day library was built with a collection of uniquely valuable items that are attributed to the works of Alexandria. The library has a collection of over 20,000 objects and rare books. Getting into this library will be a privilege only given to a select few and they are not allowing everyone access to their collections.
3. The Nobel Prize in Literature
The Nobel Prize in Literature was created in 1901 by Czech writer and philosopher Alfred Nobel. The goal for this prize is to give recognition to those who have brought “immortal renown to [their] country.” A lot of controversy has surrounded this prize because of the way it’s awarded. The selection process is subjective and extensive, with over 200 judges deciding on who should get the award. There have been many contenders who have been left out and some controversies surrounding who has received a Nobel Prize.
4. The Harry Potter Book Series
This is one of the most popular book series of all time. It has sold more than 450 million copies worldwide and was translated in 67 languages. The first book was published in 1997, written by JK Rowling, a British author best known for this series. It focuses on the adventures of a boy named Harry Potter, who discovers that he is a wizard and attends the magical school Hogwarts. This series is widely considered to be a great piece of literature because of the way it explores themes that are relevant to society.
5. The Choose Your Own Adventure Series
The Choose Your Own Adventure book is a popular children’s series. It focuses on an interactive story where the reader is able to select different passages, which they can read or not read. This book was created by American author R.A. Montgomery back in the 1970s and his books were made into the 1980 film “The Neverending Story”. The books included short stories, poems, illustrations and essays on themes such as friendship, family and love that can be selected by the reader and then read in order or not at all.
6. A Million Little Pieces
The book was written by former alcoholic, James Frey and was published in 2006. The book portrays a description of his life and the addictions he went through. This book is best known for the controversy that surrounded it when it was revealed that some of its content had been fabricated from the author’s life experiences . The novel became a best-seller and is considered to be a great work of literature because of the raw honesty in which Frey describes his previous drug abuse, alcoholism and making amends with family members.
7. Of Mice and Men
This novel was written by American author John Steinbeck back in 1937. The story is about two traveling ranch hands and their relationship with each other and the community that they live in. It’s set in a time when America was going through the Great Depression, which Steinbeck has described as a nightmare. The novel was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1939 but it did not win. It is considered to be a great work of literature because of its realistic depictions of life during this time period.
8. The Jungle Book
This book was written by American author Rudyard Kipling back in 1894. The story is about a boy named Mowgli, who was raised by wolves and develops his own human characteristics while learning the ways of the human world. The author drew on his experience as a British colonial in India to write this novel. It’s considered to be great literature because of its portrayal of the values of friendship and loyalty.
9. The Sun Also Rises
This novel was written by American author Ernest Hemingway back in 1926. This book is best known for its descriptions of people and movement during a period known as “The Lost Generation” when many people were feeling lost after World War I had just ended.
