Ben Lerner Edges of Genre

Ben Lerner, Edges of Genre: Poetry, Fiction, Artistic Collaborations is the first comprehensive academic study of a major contemporary author. Praised by The New York Times as “the most talented writer of his generation,” Lerner has often been read separately as poet or novelist, yet his work consistently transcends traditional boundaries. This groundbreaking volume, co-edited by Yannicke Chupin and Karim Daanoune, foregrounds Lerner's practice of "generic dialogism," exploring the dynamic interplay between lyric and narrative, poetry and fiction, criticism and artistic collaboration. Gathering 14 chapters from leading international scholars, alongside Lerner's own unpublished piece Erring Together, the book offers a sustained, cross-generic reading of his oeuvre. It is the first study to situate Lerner's work within the broader field of contemporary intermedial writing, making it essential reading for scholars, students, and readers interested in the evolving landscape of 21st-century literature.