n nWhen John Barths Lost in the Funhouse appeared in 1968, American fiction was turned on its head. Barths writing was not a response to the realistic fiction that characterized American literature at the time; it beckoned back to the founders of the novel: Cervantes, Rabelais, and Sterne, echoing their playfulness and reflecting the freedom inherent in the writing of fiction.n nThis collection of Barths short fiction is a landmark event, bringing all of his previous collections together in one volume for the first time. Its occasion helps readers assess a remarkable lifetimes work and represents an important chapter in the history of American literature. Dalkey Archive will reissue a number of Barths novels over the next few years, preserving his work for generations to come.n