While the phrasing may have originated at the ballpark, letting the reader know who’s who has been common, particularly among plays, for over 300 years. Several times this week readers have mentioned how important this information has been to their understanding and enjoyment of a variety of books. For many, the first introduction to an annotated character list comes with 
Shakespeare. How else can you keep the Capulets and Montagues straight? Plays are almost completely dependent on dialogue to convey every detail of the story. Without the most basic of character information (i.e. Blanche DuBois is Stella’s sister) the laser-sharp precision of many plays would be completely lost and it would require hours to convey the story. The platform you choose for reading may also make a big difference in how well you can track a complicated array of characters.
More and more character lists and/or family trees are critical in delivering the author’s message. Why is this?
- Foreign language/foreign names – a classic example is War and Peace. For those not facile with Russian first names, the familial structure of last names, and
common nicknames, successfully navigating this massive novel would be almost impossible. The first page introduces no less than ten characters, many with multiple lengthy names. The explosion of literature in translation as well as internationally themed books in English often require the reader to remember unfamiliar names and sometimes figure out the gender of characters without the linguistic clues that names sometimes provide. Particularly with epics, having a notebook handy can really make the book more enjoyable. - Complex relationships – many historical novels are centered around or refer to royal families, political dynasties or closed communities. Since the author used this information as the underpinnings of the story, having the family tree or list of members and relationships fills in critical material. Hild, Nicola Griffith’s novel about a real seventh century girl, would be overwhelming without the family tree. More than 50 years ago, Allen Drury provided annotated listings of his many characters in his Washington-based novels of political intrigue. Nonfiction titles about military units or campaigns often use listings to define the authority structures.
It turns out that how one reads books with this level of complexity really does matter. When a listing is included, reading a physical book makes referring back much easier. It is a bit harder with an e-book but a reader with annotation skills can build linkages without having a pad nearby. Those that enjoy audiobooks can find these titles frustrating because of the difficulty in keeping track of the characters and complex story lines. While it may require adjusting your preferred reading pattern going back to the basics may make the experience more pleasurable.
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