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Literary Fiction Books

Discover the best literary fiction books to read today including bestselling classics, bookseller favorites, new releases & more.

Barnes and Noble Book of The Year: James Percival Evertt. Shop Now

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The 2024 B&N Book of the Year

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James (2024 B&N Book of the Year)

by Percival Everett

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James (2024 B&N Book of the Year)

by Percival Everett

We are thrilled to announce James by Percival Everett as the Barnes & Noble Book of the Year! In a powerful story of family, home and freedom, Everett has flipped the script on an American classic as Huck Finn steps to the side and Jim — James — takes center stage.

"Sharp, smart, funny and bold; this is a must-read." — Mike, Bookseller, Minneapolis, MN.

Learn more on Poured Over: The B&N Podcast, and browse all Book of the Year Winners & Finalists.

The 2024 B&N Discover Prize Winner

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Swift River (B&N Discover Prize Winner)

by Essie Chambers

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Swift River (B&N Discover Prize Winner)

by Essie Chambers

The 2024 Barnes & Noble Discover Prize winner is Swift River by Essie Chambers!

Here's what our booksellers are saying: "A warm, uplifting novel that stole my heart" … "All the emotion and insecurity of any good coming-of-age tale" … "I found myself being pulled into Diamond's story, her family history and mythology" … "Combines the confusion, humor, and heartbreak of finding out who you are."

Learn more on Poured Over: The B&N Podcast, and browse all Discover Prize Winners & Finalists.

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Discover Literary Fiction

Shop at Barnes & Noble for literary fiction books everyone is talking about, as well as the best literary graphic novels and literary classics to add to your reading list. Looking for literary fiction to read immediately? Download literary fiction eBooks to your smartphone, tablet, or NOOK device and start reading today!

What is considered literary fiction?

Literary Fiction is a type of fiction that focuses on introspection and human character. Whereas most types of fiction are driven by plot (romance, mystery, fantasy, etc), literary fiction is a fiction of ideas that puts the human condition under the microscope. Works of literary fiction are considered to be works of art.

What is literary fiction vs. fiction?

Literary fiction is a subgenre of fiction that focuses its attention on character development, the human condition or social commentary.

What are some examples of literary fiction?

Pride and Prejudice is a literary fiction novel that focuses in-depth on character development, one of the main aspects of literary fiction writing. The reader is introduced to famous literary fiction characters like Elizabeth Bennet and observes each of the Bennet sisters’ individual thoughts, dreams and aspirations. Literary fiction books such as Of Mice and Men explore and reflect on the human condition. Other literary fiction novels focus on political or social conditions of a given time-period or place. For example, Things Fall Apart, a popular work of literary fiction, describes political tensions between Nigeria’s colonial government and the indigenous Igbo people in the 1890’s. George Orwell’s 1984 not only explores the political state of the nation, but also social conditions of its people. Literary texts are more likely to have a darker tone and slower pace compared to genre or popular fiction. Famous literary authors not only include such bookcase staples as F. Scott Fitzgerald and J.D. Salinger, but modern literary fiction writers like The Kite Runners' Khaled Hosseini or Cloud Cuckoo Lands' Anthony Doerr.