The Declining Prestige of the American Novel

A recent book, Novel Competition: American Fiction and the Cultural Economy, 1965–1999 by Evan Brier, argues that the literary novel experienced a significant decline in “prestige” during the latter decades of the 20th century. While book sales and author earnings rose, the cultural capital once held by American novelists diminished as other art forms competed for elite recognition.

The Shifting Cultural Landscape

Brier’s analysis, published by the University of Iowa Press in 2024, challenges the notion of a simple “death of the novel.” Instead, it posits that the novel’s dominance in the prestige economy was eroded by the rise of rock music criticism, journalism, film, television, and nonfiction memoir. The novel, once the primary touchstone for “elite” cultural status, found itself in competition with these increasingly prominent art forms.

Capote, Kerouac, and the Value of Craft

The book examines how perceptions of literary value shifted during this period. Brier notes that Truman Capote, despite his success with In Cold Blood (1966), dismissed journalism as “hackwork,” prioritizing technical skill as the basis for artistic reputation. This contrasted with his disdain for writers like Jack Kerouac, whom he criticized for relying on “typing” rather than craft. However, by the 1970s, the literary landscape had begun to favor different qualities, and Capote found himself increasingly out of step with prevailing tastes.

The Role of Institutions and the Market

Brier’s work also explores the material processes shaping literary success—how books are acquired, published, distributed, and reviewed. He highlights the importance of connections to institutions like The New Yorker and the way novels could function as cultural anthropology for urban elites. The case of Toni Morrison is also examined, noting her challenge to the industry’s implicit association of “literariness” with “whiteness” through works like The Black Book (1974).

The Editor’s Dilemma

The book further addresses the impact of media consolidation on the literary world. As large corporations acquired publishing houses, editors attempted to maintain literary standards through personal imprints. However, Brier argues that even these efforts were insufficient to stem the decline in the novel’s prestige, which he attributes to competition from other cultural forms.

A Changing Definition of “Prestige”

Brier’s analysis suggests that the traditional markers of literary success—Pulitzer Prizes, National Book Awards—no longer guarantee the same level of cultural prominence as in the past. The era of the novelist as a public intellectual, exemplified by figures like Gore Vidal and Kurt Vonnegut, has largely passed.

Looking Ahead

The prestige competition may be over, and a reevaluation of how “prestige” is measured may be necessary. Contemporary readers are increasingly drawn to genres like young adult, speculative fiction, and romance, suggesting a shift in what constitutes valuable and engaging literature. The future of the novel may depend on embracing these evolving tastes and challenging traditional hierarchies of literary value.

Dennis Wilson Wise’s review of Evan Brier’s “Novel Competition: American Fiction and the Cultural Economy, 1965–1999” originally appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books on March 12, 2026.