Publisher's Synopsis
"Nothing, except the weather report or a general maximof conduct, is so unsafe to rely upon as a theory of fiction.Every great novel has broken many conventions. The greatestof all novels defies every formula; and only Mr. Percy Lubbockbelieves that War and Peace would be greater if it were anotherand an entirely different book. By this I do not mean toquestion Mr. Lubbock's critical insight. The Craft of Fictionis the best work in its limited field, and it may be studied toadvantage by any novelist. In the first chapters there is amasterly analysis of War and Peace. Yet, after reading thiswith appreciation, I still think that Tolstoy was the best judgeof what his book was about and of how long it should be."
