Brno Studies in English Volume 45, No. 1, 2019 ISSN 0524-6881, e-ISSN 1805-0867 https://doi.org/10.5817/BSE2019-1-6 Petr Chalupský “Something Odd and Beautiful”: Literary Cartography in Jim Crace’s Harvest Abstract Jim Crace is a unique representative of contemporary British fction whose no- vels are characterised by a distinct narrative style and diction, compelling parab- le-like stories, and an exceptional sense of space. The settings of his novels, no matter how diverse in terms of geographic location and historical time, evince certain idiosyncratic features which make them both other and familiar for read- ers. Referring to himself as a “landscape writer”, Crace always explores the close interconnectedness, physical as well as mental, between his protagonists and the places they inhabit. His 2013 novel, Harvest, is even more complex in this regard as it also includes the theme of the map-making of its imaginary land- scapes. Using a variety of geocritical approaches, this article attempts to show that the novel is a remarkable example of literary cartography in that it combines subjectivist and objectivist approaches to textual representation of space. Key words Jim Crace; Harvest; landscape; geocriticism; mapping narrative; literary car- tography Introduction – Craceland Although Jim Crace (b. 1946) is not as widely and internationally renowned as some of the other British writers from the strong generation born after the Second World War, such as Julian Barnes, Ian McEwan, Martin Amis, Salman Rushdie, Graham Swift and Kazuo Ishiguro, his books have enjoyed considerable popu- larity with both readers and critics ever since his 1986 debut novel, Continent. He has twice been shortlisted for the (Man) Booker prize and has been awarded