num_pages: 348
description: This collection of prefaces, originally written for the 1909 multi-volume New York Edition of Henry James's fiction, first appeared in book form in 1934 with an introduction by poet and critic R. P. Blackmur. In his prefaces, James tackles the great problems of fiction writing :character, plot, point of view, inspiration;and explains how he came to write novels such as The Portrait of a Lady and The American. As Blackmur puts it, "criticism has never been more ambitious, nor more useful." As a guide not only to James's inspiration and execution, but also to his frustrations and triumphs, this volume will be valuable both to students of his fiction and to aspiring writers.
language: English
title: The Art of the Novel
titlecomplete: The Art of the Novel
genres: Classics, Language, Literary Criticism, Criticism, Literature, Writing, Essays, American, Nonfiction
ratings_count: 139
publisher: Scribner