While looking around the catalog for Read-Alikes some time ago, I came across this word as a subject heading. I have to admit, I had no idea at first what it meant, but of course my curiosity got the best of me and I looked it up. According to Merriam-Webster:
Main Entry: bil·dungs·ro·man
Pronunciation: \ˈbil-du̇ŋ(k)s-rō-ˌmän, -du̇ŋz-\
Function: noun
Etymology: German, from Bildung education + Roman novel
Date: 1910
: a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character
In other words, a coming of age story! With that knowledge, I tucked it into my memory as a factoid to use someday. A couple of weeks ago, I decided it might make a good book display, and I have to admit I had a lot of fun with it. Even used some props such as teddy bears and doll dresses to pearls and high heels. And as it turns out, it's a genre I like, because as I looked for examples, I kept finding titles I've already enjoyed.
With the 50th anniversary of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, it might be a great time to revisit that classic in addition to other coming of age stories. Sweetwater Creek by Anne Rivers Siddons, Durable Goods by Elizabeth Berg...what stories resonate with you?
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