Yes, the World Series is being played as I write this (and I’m still not over the fact that my beloved Red Sox aren’t there …), but I’m talking about another kind of series altogether.
Yesterday, Marie posed a question about book series in her weekly Tuesday Thingers meme.
My answer included Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt) as a series in my library. It’s listed this way in the Common Knowledge section of the LibraryThing database. Common Knowledge is user-extended and edited, like a Wikipedia entry (in other words, there’s opportunity for error, but if users agree on the data listed, it stands). “Common knowledge is not so common” and all that!
A few people commented that they didn’t realize Angela’s Ashes was part of a series (not in a challenging way, simply commenting). I hadn’t given it much thought when it came up in my listing, because I also own ‘Tis. These two, like Teacher Man, are McCourt’s memoirs, each covering distinct parts of his life.
The comments got me thinking, though (always a danger!). What is a series?
Does it imply that the books included in the series should be read in a particular order? Like the Little House books, which are written sequentially and the characters age and events in one book impact the plot in another book.
Or, is it any group of books which have the same characters? Like the Nancy Drew books, which can be read in any order, since Nancy never ages (or gets grey hair, or needs moisturizer, etc.)
I’m thinking a series indicates time-sensitive material (serialized material, if you will), and that a set of books carries the same character in various non-related situations.
What do you think? Is there an official definition? Are there any librarians or lit teachers out there who can help me out?! I’ll be up all night thinking about this!
Update 10/28/08: I asked Abby if there was an official LibraryThing definition for “series”. Here’s what she had to say:
Hi Dawn,
Well, there’s our “what isn’t a series?” section, but we never really define “series” – it’s too wiggly of a term!
Check out the green box on the right hand side of any series page, though, for what we do say:
http://www.librarything.com/series/The+Wicked+Years
Best,
Abby (a fellow Red Sox fan 
If you click on the link above, then scroll down the right-hand sidebar, you’ll see the official LT take on how do series work? and what isn’t a series?
Well, I’m a librarian, but I’ve never come across an official definition. Operating procedure at my library basically calls any set of books that are meant to be treated as connected as a “series.” That would include, for example, the Nancy Drew books, Little House, and any nonfiction series like “Selected Stories and Poems of…”. The books in each series were written with an eye to the whole, and a sense of an ongoing experience, whether it be sequential or otherwise. I’m not sure how that applies to memoirs, but I would think the more memoirs one person writes the more likely it is to be a series.
yeah, i wondered about this for a moment too. Even i would like an answer to this.
I agree with you. A “set” would be the books that have the same characters like Nancy Drew who doesnt age and you dont have to read them in any order but a “series” are books that need to be read in sequential order because the next book ties into the previous book. Personally, I love series books because if you enjoyed the first book but it didn’t give you enough of the characters to fill your appetite, the series will give you more to enjoy.
FatalisFortuna – I always considered “series” the way you do (the official librarian definition, it seems!), but the feedback on Marie’s question made me think there might be a more narrow definition. It’s interesting that the broad definition is how you use “series” in your library. Thanks for your input.
Violet – “inquiring minds want to know”, right?!
Bree – this is the way I was going, but now FatalisFortuna gave me an official librarian perspective. Let’s see if anyone else weighs in with their opinion.
For me, a series either continues the same story, or has some of the same characters.
I’m with Kathy, but I think the explanations of a series as books that need to be read in a certain order and they all fit together makes sense.
Don’t even get me started on the Red Sox! I am sooooo disappointed, and I’m not even watching the World Series, just hoping that Tampa Bay loses! LOL
I think this is a great question. First of all, I think a series requires more than two books. Simply writing a sequel doesn’t make a series. For example, Wicked (since it’s displayed in your title bar picture). When Son of a Witch came out, it was just a sequel. It took the third book release to make it a series.
Also, I think series need to be about the same characters, not simply in the same universe, if that makes sense. As far as reading them in order, I’m seconding Bree’s answer because it’s more intelligent than anything I could come up with!
My librarything series stats list a lot of my art books as series. For example The Taschen Basic Art series. I have something like 9 books from that series. Those would definitely be considered a different type of series compared with say fiction. I wonder how many different types of series there are!
Krishna – I think that including two-book “series” is important. You have to think about what Common Knowledge is trying to do: connect books and authors together via “common” threads and facts. It is quite possible that the only way somebody will even know that a book has a sequel (or is itself a sequel to another book) is via its inclusion in a series. Just food for thought.
Dawn, I like Bree’s definition of set vs. series. Like you I consider series something that should be read in order (e.g. Twilight series.) Although I’ve probably referred to Nancy Drew as series.
Kathy – I think that’s the way LT users are defining “series” when adding it to the CK field.
Anna – so your looking at the series/serial common root, too. Now I’m getting high school Latin involved (I didn’t know what I was getting myself into)
Neighbors in town have a mini green monster on the roof of their house; they changed it as each game played. The historic commission will have them take it down in the next few weeks …
Swapna – a sequel! I didn’t even consider that a series might kick in after a certain number of books (more than a pair). Look what I started! I like your reasoning, though
Alea – and according to my definition, this would be a set of books (unless book #5 built on what was presented in books #1-4). Maybe I should write Abby at LT and ask her input.
Christopher – maybe LT uses “series” as a generic term for any book connected by author/character. This feature definitely alerts readers that there may be another book by the same author that connects with one in their library.
Shana – I considered Nancy Drew a series, too. Until Marie posed the question, then I started wondering if series was more narrowly defined (sequel? set? series?)