On So-Called "Herodotean Prose"

Defining a term that reflects a unique structure in the presentation and disbursement of knowledge in both fiction and nonfiction that ought to be used more.

After reviewing Creation by Gore Vidal, the idea of “Herodotean prose” stuck in my head. Dealing with precision in definitions of vague words has been a common source of inspiration for this newsletter. My article on Kafka was borne from the desire to clear up some confusion around the term “Kafkaesque,” and likewise the “On Horror” piece was ultimately…