The first edition of The Rhetoric of Fiction transformed the criticism of fiction and soon became a classic in the field. One of the most widely used texts in fiction courses, it is a standard reference point in advanced discussions of how fictional form works, how authors make novels accessible, and how readers recreate texts, and its concepts and terms--such as "the implied author," "the postulated reader," and "the unreliable narrator"--have become part of the standard critical lexicon.

For this new edition, Wayne C. Booth has written an extensive Afterword in which he clarifies...

In this manifesto, distinguished critic Wayne Booth claims that communication in every corner of life can be improved if we study rhetoric closely.

• Written by Wayne Booth, author of the seminal book, The Rhetoric of Fiction (1961).


• Explores the consequences of bad rhetoric in education, in politics, and in the media.


• Investigates the possibility of reducing harmful conflict by practising a rhetoric that depends on deep listening by both sides.