A critical study that examines Gardner's fiction, philosophy, and intertextual "collage technique" to show how his moral and aesthetic ideas shape his major works.A major contribution to Gardner studies, The Art of John Gardner offers a rich, wide-ranging account of one of the most intellectually ambitious American writers of the twentieth century. Per Winther brings together philosophy, literary criticism, and close textual analysis to illuminate both Gardner’s fiction and his critical project, especially his influential arguments in On Moral Fiction.Drawing on thinkers such as Darwin, Whitehead, Collingwood, Blanshard, and Croce, Winther reconstructs the philosophical groundwork behind Gardner's moral aesthetics, while also charting how those ideas take shape across his novels, short fiction, and scholarly writings. Particular attention is given to Gardner's engagement with medieval literature and his early editorial work, revealing how deeply his fiction is rooted in tradition even as it pushes toward innovation.Winther's study is especially notable for its examination of Gardner’s intertextual practice—what he calls Gardner’s "collage technique"—and for tracing the deliberate use of literary classics within his narrative art. This approach not only clarifies individual works but also reframes Gardner"s relationship to modern and postmodern techniques.

A critical study that examines Gardner's fiction, philosophy, and intertextual "collage technique" to show how his moral and aesthetic ideas shape his major works.A major contribution to Gardner studies, The Art of John Gardner offers a rich, wide-ranging account of one of the most intellectually ambitious American writers of the twentieth century. Per Winther brings together philosophy, literary criticism, and close textual analysis to illuminate both Gardner’s fiction and his critical project, especially his influential arguments in On Moral Fiction.Drawing on thinkers such as Darwin, Whitehead, Collingwood, Blanshard, and Croce, Winther reconstructs the philosophical groundwork behind Gardner's moral aesthetics, while also charting how those ideas take shape across his novels, short fiction, and scholarly writings. Particular attention is given to Gardner's engagement with medieval literature and his early editorial work, revealing how deeply his fiction is rooted in tradition even as it pushes toward innovation.Winther's study is especially notable for its examination of Gardner’s intertextual practice—what he calls Gardner’s "collage technique"—and for tracing the deliberate use of literary classics within his narrative art. This approach not only clarifies individual works but also reframes Gardner"s relationship to modern and postmodern techniques.