The Norton Introduction to Fiction is both an anthology and a textbook— a "teaching anthology "—for college students beginning their study of fiction.

Of the 44 stories, 7 brief narratives, and 2 short novels, all the narratives, one of the short novels, and fully 30 of the stories are new to this edition. Among these are deservedly familiar stories and authors, as well as ones that rouse the quickening thrill of discovery. from Edgar Allan Poe and James Joyce to Gabriel Garcia Mårquez and Alice Munro. The narratives include tales from American Indians and Eskimos and from Africa, China, and the Middle East.

The book begins with questions of craft—the so-called elements of fiction—such as plot, characterization, and theme. Then stories are grouped by kind (initiation stories) and mode (fantasy stories). The non- Western narratives help by contrast to define the short story as a genre. Finally, stories are placed in broader contexts: an author's oeuvre, a particular literary tradition, and historical or cultural setting. Each chapter is introduced by a discussion of basic concepts necessary for taking or writing about fiction, and each selection is annotated to help readers understand and appreciate the story, but never to dictate a mean- ing or response.

Since the study of the short story leads almost inevitably to the study of the novel, two short novels are included: Heart of Darkness and Doris Lessing's The Temptation of Jack Orkney. These are introduced by "A Preface to the Novel," which discusses the difference between reading a short story and a novel, and which offers a brief history of the novel as a context for reading.