The Year of Henry James

the long version

"In the first part of this book, in revealing and often amusing reminiscence, David Lodge traces the history of his recent novel about Henry James, Author, Author, from the very first mention of the basic idea in his notebook, through the processes of research and writing, to the publication and reception of the finished book, which was adversely affected the appearance of another novel on the same subject some six months earlier. The essays in the second part pursue the themes of genesis, composition and reception in the work of other novelists."--BOOK JACKET.