Browsing "Genre Guides"

Are there stories on mental illnesses?

ASK! about Special Needs and Disabilities

There are many stories evolving around the concept of an unsound mind, and touches on issues like suicide, depression and schizophrenia. Mental illness is a very broad classification. Below are some stories on depression and schizophrenia:

Lisa, bright and dark: a novel by John Neufeld
Call No.: Y NEU
Lisa Shilling, a sixteen-year-old girl, is rapidly descending into madness, but nobody is helping, except her friends, whose pleas are drowned by the adults. On days when she feels bright, Lisa is friendly; on her dark days, she is violent, erratic, and a danger to herself and others. Once, she hid under a teacher’s desk and pricked her wrists repeatedly causing them to bleed. During an outdoor barbeque, she tried to burn another girl. Lisa herself knew that she was gong mad, and had tried to get attention by jumping through a glass wall, but her attempts were rebuffed by her parents as merely extreme behaviour and unhealthy influence from her peers.

Rabble Starkey by Lois Lowry
Call No.: J LOW
Parable Ann (Rabble) Starkey’s mother is the Bigelow’s housekeeper, and she is also good friends with the Bigelow daughter, Veronica. One day, when Rabble and Veronica took the latter’s brother out for play, they were disturbed by the town bully and chased after him, leaving the boy alone. They heard screams, turned back and found Mrs Bigelow half trying to drown him, half trying the breast feed him. News that Mrs Bigelow is mentally unsound spreads through town and she is sent to the local mental hospital. Veronica feels ashamed, and thinks about erasing her mother from her memory. Despite the incident, or perhaps because of it, things became better for the Starkey and Bigelows. The Starkeys moved in with the Bigelows, and Rabble’s mother was given sponsorship to study. Treatment leads to Mrs Bigelow recovery and she can finally return home. This is both good and bad news for Rabble, for they must move out when Mrs Bigelow returns. Thankfully however, her mother, with her education, can now better provide for them and find their own home.

The meaning of Consuelo by Judith Ortiz Cofer
Call No.: Y ORT
A story about a girl growing up in a San Juan suburb during a time of major American influence. Her name was Consuelo, meaning ‘consolation’. As elder sister, she cared for Millagros, who was prettier, and whose name stood for ‘miracle’. The conflict of tradition versus reform opens the story, where a transvestite is accepted in the community only within severely restricted boundaries, or when he is useful. The girls are reprimanded when by chance, they come into contact with him. As Consuelo transcends into womanhood, she lives with this conflict, witnessing her parents’ battle of ideas, her father’s infidelity, her gay cousin’s escape to New York, and her own experience with relationship. She survives these trials of life, but she loses Millagros to schizophrenia, though she continues looking after her.

For more suggestions, try this resource list, jointly produced by NLB and Silver Ribbon (Singapore):
World Mental Health Day 10 Oct

Mei JunPosted by Ang Mei Jun,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

Quirky mysteries

ASK! about Fiction

Every month, the library comes up with a booklist. The topics varies from subjects such as holiday activities to reading recommendations for teens. This month’s booklist is ‘Quirky mysteries’ – not your average mystery novels. Indeed it is, from a feng shui detective to solving cases about missing library books, this booklist is bound to satisfy all your mystery cravings!

theboydetectivefails.jpg  The boy detective fails by Joe Meno

30-year old Billy Argo was a boy detective. Released from a mental institution, he attempts to unravel the mystery of his sister’s death and cope with life as a grown-up. The book shuffles between Billy’s memories of himself as a brillant sleuth, and his current experience with washed-up supervillians, headless bunnies and other curiosities. Surreal, and strange, yet ultimately heart-warming.

Motherless_Brooklyn.jpg  Motherless  Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

Lionel Essrog’s mentor is murdered. Lionel now has a killer to find. Lionel, ‘The Human Freakshow’ just hopes his Tourette’s doesn’t get in his way. Lethem ignites every page with crackling prose that startles like singeing synapses through frayed nerves. With maniac energy bristling throughout, this is a book shaking on the cusp of uncontrollable outburst — Read me! it screams.

athenian.jpg  The Athenian Murders by Jose Carlos Somoza

Unravelling the layers of mystery this title leads one down a metafictional path, where solving the enigmas does not end the murders — it is quite literally the end of the book that does it. The narrative appears to be an ancient Greek mystery with footnotes by a translator. Be prepared to get implicated, for this book is acutely alive until one finishes the last page.

chicklit.jpg  Death By Chick Lit By Lynn Harris

Who would have thought that the light, fluffy and saccharine world of modern-women fiction could have its own silly li’l life-threatening dangers? No one, until popular authors start getting “written off” (read: slaughtered) ‘chick-by-chick’… Seriously, this is, like, awesome and hilarious stuff beyond its snazzy title!

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Mar 10, 2008 - Genre Guides    No Comments

New Genre Guides

The moment you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived dear readers… The new Genre Guides for the genres of Fantasy , Horror , Mystery , Romance , Science Fiction and Thriller can now be accessed.  

Please feel free to download them, but do note that the materials and their copyrights belong to NLB, and the downloads are for personal use only. Drop us an email at ask@nlb.gov.sg for further enquiries on the Guides and their usage.

Justin_ASK_w100.jpgPosted by Mr Justin Tan
Librarian
Adult & Young People’s Services

Hysterical about Horror

ASK! about Fiction: HORROR, A Genre Guide

ho1.JPGWhat is HORROR?
What constitutes a HORROR novel would be the presence of, or anticipation of fear and danger.

Some of the sub-genres of HORROR include:

  • Ghosts and Haunted houses: usually tales of repressed guilt or subconcious knowledge of wrongdoing
  • Occult/Dark arts: demonic possessions, witches/warlock, people who dabble in dark arts or with dark forces
  • Vampires and Werewolves: stories featuring these popular creatures
  • Psychological horror: stories of fear that a “all in the head”
  • Techno-horror: science gone wrong, humanity’s nature fear of the unknownFor suggestions of popular and bestselling authors and more information regarding the horror genre, you could:
    Pick up a copy of our horror genre guide at the libraries OR
    Download it here (1.4MB)

    We also have a guide to vampires and werewolves fiction, available at the libraries and also for download. (1.6MB)

    If you need further fiction-related information or reading suggestions, drop us an email at ask@library.nlb.gov.sg. All material downloaded from this site belongs to the National Library Board and is for personal use only.

    Found this interesting? What do you think?
    Post your comments, or send further questions about these books or any other fiction topic to ask@library.nlb.gov.sg

  • Stimulated by Science Fiction

    ASK! about Fiction: SCIENCE FICTION, A Genre Guide

    sf1.jpgWhat is SCIENCE FICTION?
    What constitutes a SCIENCE FICTION novel would be a story with a scientific backdrop, often futuristic.

    Some of the sub-genres of SCIENCE FICTION include:

  • Aliens/Space: other-worldly creatures from outer space or other planets
  • Alternate reality: stories of how life would be modified if history had happened differently
  • Clones: features human creation or genetic engineering, usually deals with moral and ethical ramifications of “playing God”.
  • Cyberpunk/Dystopia: high-technology in the near future, featuring a bleak and grim outlook/setting, self-destructive advances of humanity
  • Virtual reality: a computer-generated environment where people can enter and interact with others
  • End of the world/Holocaust: stories about a large-scale destruction of the EarthFor suggestions of popular and bestselling authors and more information regarding the science fiction genre, you could:
    Pick up a copy of our science fiction genre guide at the libraries OR
    Download it here (1.4MB)

    We also have a guide to biotechnology fiction (which covers themes like: humanity, technology, morality), available at the libraries and also for download. (1.5MB)

    Websites for the SF enthusiast:
    SFSignal
    Biology in Science Fiction
    [ASKeditor: We found our SF and biotech guides plugged on these two blogs, hurrah! The first one is an excellent resource for avid fans of SF and Fantasy, featuring reviews and tidbits and the second is a cool blog focusing on biology in Science Fiction (hence the title, doh...) with brain-tingling entries like a discussion of neurology as mentioned in Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash for example]

    If you need further fiction-related information or reading suggestions, drop us an email at ask@library.nlb.gov.sg. All material downloaded from this site belongs to the National Library Board and is for personal use only.

    Found this interesting? What do you think?
    Post your comments, or send further questions about these books or any other fiction topic to ask@library.nlb.gov.sg

  • Fanatical about Fantasy

    ASK! about Fiction: FANTASY, A Genre Guide

    fn1.JPGWhat is FANTASY fiction?
    What constitutes a FANTASY novel would be the presence and use of magic.

    Some of the sub-genres of FANTASY include:

  • Sword and Sorcery: characters rely on strength of arms, swordplay or sorcery in combat
  • Saga, Myth and Legend: stories of gods from ancient civilizations, or heroes from ancient folklore
  • A Bestiary: features main or supporting characters who are animals, that can talk or think in a human-like manner
  • Contemporary/Urban Fantasy: the element of magic exists in current time and context of a present day setting
  • Dark Fantasy: a blend of horror and fantasyFor suggestions of popular and bestselling authors and more information regarding the fantasy genre, you could:
    Pick up a copy of our fantasy genre guide at the libraries OR
    Download it here (1.4MB)

    We also have a guide to alternate worlds fantasy (which covers themes like: alternate realities/histories, parallel realities/worlds), available at the libraries and also for download. (1.7MB)

    If you need further fiction-related information or reading suggestions, drop us an email at ask@library.nlb.gov.sg. All material downloaded from this site belongs to the National Library Board and is for personal use only.

    Found this interesting? What do you think?
    Post your comments, or send further questions about these books or any other fiction topic to ask@library.nlb.gov.sg

  • Mad about Mystery

    ASK! about Fiction: Mystery, A Genre Guide

    my1.JPGth1.jpg
    What is MYSTERY fiction?
    What constitutes a MYSTERY novel would be a central crime story and a subsequent resolution to the puzzle. Thrillers (which usually contain a high level of action, intrigue and adventure) are also classified under this genre.

    Some of the sub-genres of MYSTERY include:

  • Soft-boiled/Cozy/Traditional mystery: Little or no violence, in a closed setting
  • Hard-boiled mystery: tough, hard-edged, with a focus on the “mean streets” and harh reality
  • Suspense/Thriller: high degree of action, intrigue, adventure and involves the reader emotionally
  • Detective mystery: the crime is solved by an amateur or private detective
  • Police procedural mystery: the crime is solved using police methods
  • Legal mystery: in a legal/courtroom settingFor suggestions of popular and bestselling authors and more information regarding the mystery/thriller genre, you could:
    Pick up a copy of our mystery genre guide at the libraries OR
    Download it here (1.5MB)

    We also have a guide to military fiction (which are contains themes like: warfare, international conflicts, tactics and espionage), available at the libraries and also for download. (1.1MB)

    If you need further fiction-related information or reading suggestions, drop us an email at ask@library.nlb.gov.sg. All material downloaded from this site belongs to the National Library Board and is for personal use only.

    Found this interesting? What do you think?
    Post your comments, or send further questions about these books or any other fiction topic to ask@library.nlb.gov.sg

  • Raving about Romance

    ASK! about Fiction: Romance, A Genre Guide

    ro1.JPG
    What is ROMANCE fiction?
    What constitutes a ROMANCE novel would be a story with a central love story and a feel-good ending.

    Some of the sub-genres of ROMANCE include:

  • Contemporary romance: set after the world wars
  • Historical romance: set before the world wars
  • Inspirational romance: contains spiritual themes
  • Regency romance: set in early 1800s England
  • Paranormal romance: contains “other-worldly” elements like magic, fantasy, mythical creatures/characters
  • Time-travel romance: set in two different time periods, with characters time-travelling between the worldsFor suggestions of popular and bestselling authors and more information regarding the romance genre, you could:
    Pick up a copy of our romance genre guide at the libraries OR
    Download it here (1.3MB)

    We also have a guide to historical romance (which are romances which are set in historical settings, generally before the World Wars), available at the libraries and also for download. (1.3MB)

    If you need further fiction-related information or reading suggestions, drop us an email at ask@library.nlb.gov.sg. All material downloaded from this site belongs to the National Library Board and is for personal use only.

    Found this interesting? What do you think?
    Post your comments, or send further questions about these books or any other fiction topic to ask@library.nlb.gov.sg