The New Literary Middlebrow

This sharp cultural analysis examines the contemporary literary middlebrow as a dominant twenty-first century force, defining it through eight distinct characteristics that shape today's reading culture. Driscoll identifies the middlebrow as middle-class, feminized, reverential toward literature, commercially driven, emotionally engaging, recreational in purpose, earnest in tone, and heavily mediated through modern platforms. The book grounds its theoretical framework in compelling case studies that readers will immediately recognize from contemporary literary life.

What makes this study particularly valuable is how it connects seemingly disparate cultural phenomena—from Oprah's Book Club's emotional resonance to the Harry Potter series' commercial ecosystem—under a single analytical lens. Readers interested in understanding why certain books become cultural touchstones while others remain niche will find Driscoll's framework illuminating for decoding modern literary taste-making. This is essential reading for anyone curious about the invisible architecture shaping today's most popular literary conversations.