Includes bibliographical references (pages 460-464) and index.

Europe -- Sub-Saharan Africa -- North Africa, Middle East, and Turkey -- Asia -- Oceania -- Latin America -- North America.

This user-friendly resource is the perfect reference for English-language readers who are eager to explore fiction from around the world. The book profiles hundreds of titles and authors from 1945 to today, with an emphasis on fiction published in the past two decades. M.A. Orthofer introduces the styles, trends, and genres of the world's literature, from Scandinavian crime thrillers and cutting-edge Chinese works to Latin American narco-fiction and award-winning French novels. The book's critical selection of titles defines the arc of a country's literary development. Entries illuminate the fiction of individual nations, cultures, and peoples, while concise biographies sketch the careers of noteworthy authors. Compiled by M.A. Orthofer, an avid book reviewer and the founder of the literary review site the Complete Review, this reference is perfect for readers who wish to expand their reading choices and knowledge of contemporary world fiction. -- from back cover.