New Grub Street

Hailed as Gissing's finest novel, New Grub Street portrays the intrigues and hardships of the publishing world in late Victorian England.

In a materialistic, class-conscious society that rewards commercial savvy over artistic achievement, authors and scholars struggle to earn a living without compromising their standards. "Even as the novel chills us with its still-recognizable portrayal of the crass and vulgar world of literary endeavor," writes Francine Prose in her Introduction, "its very existence provides eloquent, encouraging proof of the fact that a powerful, honest writer can transcend the constraints of commerce." This Modern Library Paperback Classic is set from the text of the 1891 first edition.

Author Biography: Francine Prose's most recent book is The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired . A contributing editor at Harper's , she is the author of ten books of fiction, including Blue Angel , a 2000 National Book Award finalist.