His critically acclaimed books include the novels Grendel, The Sunlight Dialogues, and October Light, for which he received the National Book Critics Circle Award, as well as several works of nonfiction and criticism such as On Becoming a Novelist. Drawing on examples from Homer to Kafka to Joyce Carol Oates, Gardner unravels the mysteries of plot, sentence structure, diction, and point of view. John Gardner (19331982) was born in Batavia, New York. 'The next best thing to graduate workshop in fiction writing. The Art of Fiction was completed before his death in 1982. Among the universities at which he taught are Oberlin, San Francisco State, Northwestern, Southern Illinois, Bennington and SUNY-Binghamton. He was born in 1933 in Batavia, New York. 'He lays out virtually everything a person might want to know how to say it, with good and bad examples and judgments falling like autumn leaves in a November storm.' -William McPherson, The Washington Post John Gardner was accorded wide praise for his works of imagination, of criticism, and of scholarship. It is serious, provocative, and funny, and I recommend it to anyone who cares about literature.'- Margaret Manning, The Boston Globe 'A densely packed book of advice to all writers, not just young ones. The Art of Fiction is filled with lecture counsel, wise encouragement.' -John L'Heureux, The New York Times Book Review In the second half, he treats specific technical matters. In the first half of the book, Gardner investigated just what fiction is. The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers: Gardner, John: 9780679734031: : Books Skip to main content. For the young writer it will become a necessary handbook, a stern judge, an encouraging friend. For the young writer, it will become a necessary handbook, a stern judge, an encouraging friend.'-The New York Times Book Review. The Art of Fiction will fascinate anyone interested in how fiction gets put together. First, it takes an honest and forthright stance in regard to On Moral Fiction. 'It will fascinate anyone interested in how fiction gets put together. 'John Gardner was famous for his generosity to young writers, and (this book) is his. There is a great deal to like about this work.

The Art of Fiction by John Gardner