Synopsis: From the back cover of the first edition: "From the magical realms of Middle-Earth to the eldritch darkness of the Cthulhu Mythos, the most prominent writers of fantasy invite you into their enchanted worlds. Eighteen of the finest fantasy writers share the secrets of their craft in essays, excerpts, and letters especially selected by Robert H. Boyer and Kenneth J. Zahorski, editors of the highly acclaimed Fantastic Imagination, Volumes I and II. Candid, controversial, often highly personal, here is a unique glimpse into the author's singular imagination, as the real experts in the field explore the theory, technique, and aesthetics of fantasy literature." From the first page of the first edition: "For enjoyment, enrichment, and enlightenment - or as a primer for would-be writers - this splendid collection of twenty-two writings on the subject of fantasy surveys almost a hundred years of provocative, important ideas by eighteen prominent practitioners of the game. Who better than H.P. Lovecraft could define "the literature of cosmic fear" and interpret the chaos and daemons of unplumbed space? And what could be more fascinating than discovering how J.R.R. Tolkien came to begin The Hobbit or brought the tree-like Ents to life? Or where else could we learn Ursula Le Guin's feelings and thoughts about her subconscious and the Earthsea Trilogy, "a dream I have not stopped dreaming"? Academic investigations, definitions, the importance of folk lore and fairy tales, the witty observations of Thurber, the philosophy of Sire Herbert Read, and so much more, all make this an essential anthology for both serious students and delighted fans of the magic worlds made real in Fantasists on Fantasy."