"John Gardner was famous for his generosity to young writers, and (this book) is his . . . gift to them. The Art of Fiction will fascinate anyone interested in how fiction gets put together. For the young writer, it will become a necessary handbook, a stern judge, an encouraging friend."—The New York Times Book Review.

"John Gardner was famous for his generosity to young writers, and (this book) is his . . . gift to them. The Art of Fiction will fascinate anyone interested in how fiction gets put together. For the young writer, it will become a necessary handbook, a stern judge, an encouraging friend".—The New York Times Book Review.

Review

“It will fascinate anyone interested in how fiction gets put together. For the young writer it will become a necessary handbook, a stern judge, an encouraging friend... In the first half of the book, Gardner investigated just what fiction is. In the second half, he treats specific technical matters. ”The Art of Fiction“ is filled with lecture counsel, wise encouragement.” -John L'Heureux, "The New York Times Book Review

"“A densely packed book of advice to all writers, not just young ones... It is serious, provocative, and funny, and I recommend it to anyone who cares about literature.”- Margaret Manning, "The Boston Globe

""He lays out virtually everything a person might want to know [about] how to say it, with good and bad examples and judgments falling like autumn leaves in a November storm.“ -William McPherson, ”The Washington Post

"“The next best thing to graduate workshop in fiction writing. Drawing on examples from Homer to Kafka to Joyce Carol Oates, Gardner unravels the mysteries of plot, sentence structure, diction, and point of view.” - Book-of-the-Month Club News

John Gardner is Professor of English at Southern Illinois University. His previous books include a modernized English version of “The Complete Works of the Gawain-Poet ”and a recently published novel, “The Wreckage of Agathon.”