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Which British authors were most popular in late nineteenth century India?
A sample of fourteen library catalogs, from across India, revealed that only two authors were in all fourteen: Edward Bulwer-Lytton and Sir Walter Scott. Apparently the embellished novel was popular.
In thirteen of the catalogs were Dickens, Disraeli, and Thackeray.
In twelve of the catalogs were Marie Corelli, F. Marion Crawford, Dumas, George Eliot, Charles Kingsley, Captain Frederick Marryat, G.W.M. Reynolds, and Philip Meadows Taylor.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was in eleven.
The figures are from the new and noteworthy, The Novel: Volume 1, History, Geography, and Culture, edited by Franco Moretti; this volume is a treasure trove of information about the history and early economics of the novel.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on October 29, 2006 at 02:59 AM in Books, History | Permalink
Comments
Doyle might be under rated there. He was writing much later than the others: also, most of his Sherlock Holmes etc would in fact have been in all of the libraries: in The Strand or the other periodicals that published them.
Of course, I'm blowing off here without having read the whole paper but then that's normal for me too....
Posted by: Tim Worstall at Oct 29, 2006 5:54:14 AM
Exorbitantly priced at $90 in multiple volumes, however. Not for the laity.
Tyler, what books specifically on the novel as an art form have interested you?
Ian Watt?
Posted by: Rue Des Quatre Vents at Oct 29, 2006 1:14:45 PM
Who was using these libraries: Brits or Indians?
It would be easy to quantify the extraordinary level of love for P.G. Wodehouse in India.
Posted by: Steve Sailer at Oct 29, 2006 11:47:38 PM
in eleven, just one author? if predictable, the number should be more than that in twelve, isn't it?
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It was a dark and stormy night.....
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