Maps and Legends

Maps and Legends is the first non-fiction endeavor by Pulitzer Prize winning author Michael Chabon. Chabon compiled sixteen essays, including "Guidebook to a Land of Ghosts", "Maps and Legends" and "On 'The Mysteries of Pittsburgh", which have been previously published elsewhere. All proceeds from the book will benefit a nationwide youth writer's program called Nonprofit 826. It has received mixed reviews from critics, some of whom claim that Michael Chabon turns his back on genres he's written for in the past.

Fast Facts

1. Author: Michael Chabon
2. Genre: Non-fiction
3. Publication Date: April, 2008
4. Publisher: McSweeneys Publishing
5. Pages: 200
6. ISBN 9781932416893

Plot Synopsis

Maps & Legends is a collection of related essays on Chabon's opinion of modern storytelling. To make his point, he cites works such as Cormac McCarthy's The Road and The Great Gatsby.

Critical Reception

• "It's hard to imagine the audience for this book. Chabon seems to want to debate English professors, but surely only his fellow comic-book lovers will be interested in his tirade." - Publishers Weekly
• "Chabon's 16 essays are seemingly organized from the least personal ("Trickster in a Suit of Lights, Thoughts on the Modern Short Story") to the most personal ("Golems I Have Known; Or, Why My Elder Son's Middle Name Is Napoleon") and argue the merits of reading, writing, and storytelling, breaking down the barriers between so-called genre writing and "serious" literature. Affectionate and funny; a welcome and necessary addition to all collections." - Pam Kingsbury, Library Journal

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