Kenneth Millard Knihy

This book examines how recent American novelists approach the coming-of-age genre, or Bildungsroman, which typically portrays the challenges of growing up and young adulthood through family dynamics and social structures. It analyzes various American cultures, considering race, class, and gender, to contextualize aesthetic judgments about the fiction within its social history. Key questions include whether the coming-of-age moment reflects an interpretation of America's decline, the national commentary it offers, and the genre's status as quintessentially American. It also explores what insights it provides into contemporary American culture. While focusing on contemporary works, the discussion references earlier novels and critiques of the genre, alongside historical shifts in family dynamics and the adolescent experience. The book features detailed interpretations of twelve significant contemporary novels by authors such as Rick Moody, Geoffrey Wolff, Jeffrey Eugenides, and Elizabeth Wurtzel. It highlights the importance of the coming-of-age genre within the broader American literary canon and contributes meaningfully to ongoing debates about the value of recent American fiction.