Charles Baxter

With Burning Down the House (1997), a collection of essays on writing, Charles Baxter became a fixture, by proxy, in fiction workshops everywhere. In his new book, The Art of Subtext: Beyond Plot (Graywolf Press), Baxter goes on to explore the unwritten aspects of writing. He sets out to prove that, in fiction, “What is displayed evokes what is not displayed, like a party where the guests discuss, at length, those who are not in attendance.” Remarkably (but just as expected) Baxter does so with eloquence and conviction, using literary reference and personal anecdote to mine the meanings hidden in prose, and to cement his reputation as a guru of contemporary fiction. 612-822-4611; www.magersandquinn.com