<DIV><DIV><P></P><P>In the tradition of E. M. Forster's&nbsp; <I>Aspects of the Novel</I> and Milan Kundera's <I>The Art of the Novel</I>, <I>How Fiction Works</I> is a scintillating study of the magic of fiction--an analysis of its main elements and a celebration of its lasting power. Here one of the most prominent and stylish critics of our time looks into the machinery of storytelling to ask some fundamental questions: What do we mean when we say we "know" a fictional character? What constitutes a telling detail? When is a metaphor successful? Is Realism realistic? Why do some literary conventions become dated while others stay fresh?<BR></P><P>James Wood ranges widely, from Homer to <I>Make Way for Ducklings</I>, from the Bible to John le Carr&#233;, and his book is both a study of the techniques of fiction-making and an alternative history of the novel. Playful and profound, <I>How Fiction Works</I> will be enlightening to writers, readers, and anyone else interested in what happens on the page. <BR></P></DIV></DIV>