Explore Genres

Prose compositions, remarks, critical reflections, or guides on any particular subject. Includes philosophy.

An address, publication proposal, or promotional material for members of the general public.

Titles in this category include household management, cookery, midwifery, etiquette etc.

Scripts intended to be acted or read aloud, often accompanied by costumes when performed on stage.

Includes grammatical texts, dictionaries, conduct manuals, addresses, essays, instructions, strictures, or letters addressed to youth and educators.

A general narrative that pertains to imaginary events. Works in the subcategory of fiction are often derived from the genre designation on the title page, i.e. includes texts that are not novels, romances, stories, or tales.

A composition, memoir, or anecdote, or record of a place, event, or individual. Works in this category are often derived from the genre designation on the title page.

A collection, history, companion, manual, journal, print, story, allegory, fable, anecdote, introduction, or chapbook concerned with the narration of events pertaining to, or addressed to, children or youth.

A trial, appeal, accusation, defence, execution, last speech, or confession relating to the law. 

Epistolary communication addressed to a person or group of people.

Record, memory, experience, account, apology, or history about one’s own life or another’s. 

Gathered poems, letters, maxims, aphorisms, journals, literary exercises, travels, sketches, or prose in one volume. Works in this category are often derived from the genre designation on the title page.

Songs, symphonies, psalms, choruses, or lessons related to music and written by a composer.

Composition, elegy, epistle, or canto in verse.

Appeal, letter, defence, essay, address, summary, supplement, or reflection relating to society, culture, government. 

Titles about religious or spiritual belief, or biblical history.

Titles addressing medicine, biology, chemistry, physics, botany, earth sciences, astronomy, etc.

Guidebooks, descriptions, voyages, and tours of any particular location. 

The genre of titles in this category are either not known or miscellaneous. 

A collection of any combination of prose, poetry, accounts, memoirs, or posthumous works derived from the same author.