the new limits of "novel"

[Joel S. Berson]

At 3/29/2011 09:06 AM, Garson O'Toole wrote:
>Here are two examples of the word novel applied to a play from a few
>years ago.
>
>In the novel Hamlet who was the character name Yorick?
>5 years ago
>http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060907195907AAiExxb

I assume this question is about the novel "Hamlet: A Novel", by
(according to WorldCat) John Marsden; William Shakespeare
(Somerville, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2009).

Or perhaps "Hamlet : novel" by by Paul Illidge; William Shakespeare
(Toronto : Creber Monde, 2005).

But not "The Hamlet: a Novel"by Faulkner.


>What is the theme of the novel "merchant of venice"? by shakespeare..
>2 years ago
>http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090121111149AAcmiEe

And here the questioner merely left out one, minor word:  "The
merchant of Venice : a graphic novel" (London : Walker, 2008).


>But I wonder, Jon, how you will prevent the confusion caused when
>"book" is used in the following sense.
>
>The Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical is awarded to librettists of
>the spoken, non-sung dialogue, and storyline of a musical play.
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Award_for_Best_Book_of_a_Musical

No prob -- "book" is not "novel".

Joel

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