Score

The definition for the New Weird genre is controversial. For purposes of this list, I propose we agree on Wikipedia's definition. Therefore, books on this list have at minimum the following features:
1) written no earlier than 1990
2) have a horror, speculative fiction feel to them that tend to break down barriers between fantasy, science fiction, and supernatural horror
3) a type of urban, secondary-world fiction that subverts the romanticized ideas about place found in traditional fantasy, largely by choosing realistic, complex real-world models as the jumping off point for creation of settings that may combine elements of both science fiction and fantasy (VanderMeer definition)
4) a fiction that subverts cliches of the fantastic in order to put them to discomfiting, rather than consoling ends (Reid definition)
5) a cutting edge speculative fiction with a literary slant, like slipstream with a side of weirdness (O'Keefe definition)
The sporadically published magazine titled Weird Tales helps define the genre simply by who and what it publishes. Since the magazine predates the genre, not every author published in it can be said to write New Weird, but most who published there this century are practitioners.

Oh, I'd love to stand in front of my shelves and add to this list!

I've read so few of what's on it, but I love weird, always have, so I know we could more up there. Good effort though!

A poll related to this list is up: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...

The poll was unanimous regarding the book in question, so out it goes.

Meran wrote: I've read so few of what's on it, but I love weird, always have, so I know we could more up there. Good effort though! "

Thank you. Few people (including me) have read these books judging by the number of ratings most of them receive. About seventy of the books I put on this list are from VanderMeer's recommendations. He is an anthologist by trade who specializes in this genre, so I trust his list. I hope others who love New Weird will soon add works genuinely in the genre in order to extend the list.

I also really want to find time to start reading the books on the list. I wonder if others here who like the list feel the same. Would it help to pick a book off this list and a number of us agree to read and discuss it together?

Okay. I did it! I created a poll for a July-August shared read, based on the list. If you are interested in participating, I strongly recommend you join the New Weird book group at https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/.... That is where I placed the poll, and where I will do future polls. Here is a link to the poll: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/1...
Let's have some fun with beginning to read books on this list!

Hello Dan,

Thank you for directing our conversation over to here. I reviewed the New Weird definition that you posted by way of Wikipedia. I understand how the genre might be non-fiction prohibitive however one title that came to mind was Alan Weisman's 'A World Without Us' (http://www.worldwithoutus.com/) since it is both speculative and uses 'complex real-world models as the jumping off point'. It envisions what the world would be like in the aftermath of human disappearance. It uses actual science to contemplate a post-apocalyptic world in a way that is both compelling and is both horrific and awe-inspiring in its plausibility.

Meghan, thanks for posting here. The more I consider it, the more I think there is no way for non-fiction to be in the New Weird genre. Four of the five criteria above specifically state "fiction". I'm not the final arbiter though. If you wish, we can run a poll, and if the votes are for including non-fiction I'll respect the result. Thank you for raising a question I had never before considered.

Thanks, Dan. Perhaps, there is a New Weird non-fiction genre? It would be interesting to see if there are any others who could think of non-fiction titles where the New Weird title might apply or if they are aware of the name for a genre of non-fiction that blends science with a touch of the surreal in a unique, speculative way.

Is this maybe what you are looking for?: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...

this?:http://www.paperbackswap.com/Weird-Un...

Or maybe these more current titles: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...

Seems like there may be more weird non-fiction out there than new weird fiction. Weird!

Hi Dan,

Wonderful sleuthing! Thank you for these links. Ha! I would definitely regard author, Mary Roach, as headlining the 'New Weird' non-fiction genre. My 'to-read' list just got that much longer.

Hey All,

If you are looking at and voting on this list the book you liked the best--and I hope you are, that's what moves the best books to the top--you can leave words here as to what you liked most about the books you are voting for. I'd also encourage you to leave links here to your reviews of any of these works.

To get the ball rolling, here is my review of one work on this list I read (sorry it's not a more positive one):

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Man Who Becomes His Self looks interesting, if not possibly a bit cerebral.

Otherwise I just finished this and enjoyed it, don't know if it's weird enough though.
Amish Werewolf

https://thebizarretimes.com/