One of the most penetrating and sympathetic explorations ever undertaken
by one writer into the mind of another, Prancing Novelist is far more
than a simple tribute or work of research. In these pages--by turns
instructive, mischievous, and even gossipy--Brigid Brophy seeks nothing
less than a vindication of the eternal liveliness of fiction itself
against the persistent rumors that it is dying or dead. Though serious
in intent, Prancing Novelist is not only a monument to Firbank, but is
also a delightful showcase for Brophy's own uproarious prose, not to
mention her genius for telling good stories.