Since the late twentieth century letters in literature have seen a remarkable renaissance. The
prominence of letters in recent fiction is due in part to the rediscovery by contemporary
writers of letters as an effective tool for rendering aspects of historicity liminality
marginalization and the expression of subjectivity vis-à-vis an 'other' it is also due
however to the artistically challenging inclusion of the new electronic media of communication
into fiction.While studies of epistolary fiction have so far concentrated on the eighteenth
century and on thematic concerns this volume charts the epistolary renaissance in recent
literature entering new territory by also focusing on the aesthetic implications of the
epistolary mode. In particular the essays in this volume illuminate the potential of the
epistolary (including digital forms) for rendering contemporary sensitivities. The volume thus
offers a comprehensive assessment of letter narratives in contemporary literature. Through its
focus on the aesthetic and structural aspects of new epistolary fiction the inclusion of
various narrative forms and the consideration of both conventional letters and their new
digital kindred The Epistolary Renaissance offers novel insight into a multi-facetted
(re)new(ed) genre.
