The 16 types of books that exist (according to different criteria)

What criteria can we use to know what kinds of books we will find in libraries?

There are many of us who enjoy devouring a good book from time to time, either when we go on a trip and have a long wait at the airport or when we want to learn new things about our profession with one of the interestingly useful manuals on the market.

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Types of books and how they are classified

But not all books are the same. Some editorial works are for consultation, others explain fantasy stories and others are illustrated. In addition, each book may come in a different format, or be aimed at a specific audience.

In today's article we will review the types of books that exist.according to different criteria.

1. According to their format

According to their format and presentation, books can be:

1.1. Paper books

The paper book is the classic book, the book of a lifetime.. It can have a soft cover or hard cover, but the text is on paper. Although thanks to the new technologies new formats have appeared to be able to read the editorial works, this one continues being a very used format.

1.2. Electronic books (ebooks)

The electronic book has been gaining ground in recent years due to its enormous convenience.. In order to read them, it is necessary to have a device, such as a "kindle", i.e. an electronic book reader, or a tablet. It is also possible to download e-books to your cell phone.

1.3. Interactive books

Interactive books are digital books that, in addition to classic reading, allow the reader to interact and perform activities. and carry out activities. For example, online exercises. This type of book uses all the resources offered by the latest technological advances to offer a qualitatively different experience to readers. Moreover, some of them can even pose an interesting dialogue between the world of literature and the world of video games.

2. According to their literary genre

Books can also be classified according to their literary genrethat is, according to their content and literary purpose. Within this category, we only find works of fiction.

2.1. Lyric genre

The lyrical genre is characterized by the author's expression of feelings, imagination or thoughts.. It is narrated in the first person, in which the subjective condition of the writer stands out. Within this genre, we find:

• OdeIt is a type of thoughtful poetry and its tone is of praise.
• HymnIt is a lyric text that expresses patriotic passions, positive and celebratory feelings.
• ElegyA poetic work that expresses negative feelings such as melancholy, self or other people's pain.
• EclogueIt is characterized by the expression of affectionate feelings for what surrounds us and is usually presented in the form of dialogue.
• SongIt is a poem that expresses feelings, for example, of love.
• SatireSatire: It presents an acid humor, somewhat burlesque, which criticizes own or social corruptions.

2.2. Epic genre

The author expresses himself by means of the narration and presents the facts in a fictitious environment.The author expresses himself through narration and presents the facts in a fictitious environment, showing the reader the world in an objective way, without showing his feelings. However, the author can make dialogues for his characters to express their emotions and reflections. There are different epic subgenres:

• EpicExplains actions that should be remembered for the heroic deeds and legendary exploits of a character or people.
• Epic poem: Gives an account of legendary or fictional adventures of one or more heroic characters.
• RomanceNarrates brave, affective and sentimental stories.
• FableGenerally written in prose or verse. The main characters are animals or inanimate things. Thanks to the fable it is possible to extract a teaching or moral.
• StoryIt narrates a fictitious event that is usually brief and with few characters.
• LegendIt narrates a real or fabulous event, shrouded in mystery.
• NovelIt is an extensive narration, with a more developed story than a tale. It includes both real and imaginary characters.

2.3. Dramatic genre

It is characterized by an episode or conflict conceived by internal relationships between characters.. The narrative is wrapped in dialogue.

• TragedyThe passionate nature of the problems or terrifying conflicts is emphasized.
• ComedyThe conflict is seen with humor.
• DramaThe story is shown in a serious context.
• TragicomedyThere are tragic and then comic sequences.
• MelodramaThe dramatic parts of the play are exaggerated.

3. Other types of books

In addition to the above classifications, it is possible to find other types of books according to various criteria and characteristics:

3.1. books of prolonged reading

Long reading books include novels and short stories.. Ideally, these books should be small and light so that the reader can carry them anywhere and read them whenever he/she wants. In addition, since they contain a narration of a chain of events, they usually have well-defined beginnings and endings.

3.2. Reference books

Reference books are also known as reference books.. They are not to be read in a continuous reading, but the reader goes to them only to obtain a specific piece of information or to solve a specific doubt, so their summary is very useful to go directly to the home page of the section of interest. Some examples are: an encyclopedia, a dictionary or a telephone directory.

3.3. Informational books or manuals (essays)

Unlike the previous ones, informative books and manuals can be read in their entirety.. They deal with topics of interest such as, for example, a field of psychology. They deal with problems, resolve doubts and provide photos, diagrams and diagrams to clarify the information. They are also known as "essays": they are prose texts that analyze a specific topic in an objective and documented way.

• Recommended article: "The 25 best books on Psychology that you cannot miss".

Illustrated literature

They deal with stories through drawings. Illustrations are usually accompanied by a small text, so there must be close cooperation between the illustrator and the typographer.

3.5. Biographies

Biographies are the story of the life of one person narrated by another, in which the latter describes by another in which the latter describes achievements and failures. There are also autobiographies, in which the author himself narrates his own story.

3.6. Sacred books

Sacred books are textbooks considered sacred by the different religions.. For example: the Bible or the Koran, which are the reference texts of Christianity and Islam, respectively. The difference with the rest of works is that traditionally they have been attributed a connection with the divine.

3.7. Pocket books

Pocket books are light texts, small in size and very manageable, so that they can be carried anywhere. to be able to be transported to any place. They are not usually very extensive books.

3.8. Comics

Comics are stories told through illustrated cartoons, which usually have a short text narrated by the characters themselves.They usually have a short text narrated by the characters themselves. Although it used to be a genre whose readers were children and teenagers, in recent times comics have also become popular among adults, and in some circles they have come to be known as graphic novels.

3.9. Sagas or Trilogies

Sagas are collections of books of the same story, with each volume complementing the previous book.. When the saga consists of three books or volumes, it is called a trilogy. Some of them are mythical sagas, like those of Iceland, and others are author's sagas, more recent.

3.10. Score book

Score books are books in which it is possible to find musical scores to be able to play different instruments, including the to be able to play different instruments, including voice. Logically, they are widely used by musicians to know perfectly the musical pieces they want to perform.