Convinced that scholars and teachers give a false sense of literature, Ford brings alive the pleasures of reading by writing about books he is passionate about.Beginning at the beginning with ancient Egyptian and Chinese literature and the Bible Ford works his way through classical literature, the writings of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, continuing up to the major writers of his own day like Ezra Pound, Henry James, and Joseph Conrad. With his encyclopedic reading and expertise in the techniques of writing, Ford is a reliable and entertaining guide. Ford also includes a chapter on publishers and booksellers, noting the key roles they play in literature's existence.Novelist Alexander Theroux (Darconville's Cat, Laura Warholic) has written an insightful introduction for this reissue, the first time this monumental book has been made available in paperback.