The classic work on the art of fiction by the 'refreshingly unpredictable' novelist and literary critic (Publishers Weekly)



In this posthumously published collection of his essays and reviews, acclaimed novelist John Gardner discusses the craft of fiction writing, taking to task some of his best-known contemporaries in the process. Gardner criticizes some for writing disingenuous fiction and commends others who produce literature that acts as a life-affirming force. He offers insights into and exacting critiques on such writers as Vladimir Nabokov, John Updike, Saul Bellow, and John Cheever, while addressing his personal influences and delivering broad-ranging observations on literary culture.



Provocative and poignant, On Writers & Writing is a must-listen for both aspiring writers and careful readers of American literature.