For much too long now, a literary work, once completed, has been viewed as having a separate existence, no longer under the author's control, and so left open to a variety of responses, regardless of how widely variable, or even contradictory, they might prove to be. However, that misguided approach simply ignores the fact that the three authors, in each case, have maintained a strong controlling presence within their completed works, a pervasive presence that is clearly revealed through the meticulous crafting we can discover throughout each work. The Art of Literary Thieving invites its readers to follow in the clearly marked footsteps of these three classic authors, as each of them crafts his materials into one of the world's truly exceptional literary experiences. The close, and as yet undiscovered, relationship that exists between these three works offers readers a more revealing light that shines forth from each of them upon the other two, bringing a greater clarity to these always challenging literary creations. That relationship also helps to highlight the detailed crafting within each work that has been meticulously designed, in each case, to guide the reader to the author's ultimate goal: a vibrant, imaginative experience, imbued with meaning and emotion, that the author wishes to share with the reader. The three authors, without question, have each succeeded in reaching that goal. And they also remain, within their works, ready to show their readers how to join them. This is an important book for all literature collections.