Literary Byways

"Literary Byways" by William Andrews is a series of essays from the late 1800s offering sneaky peaks into the world of writers and books, touching on unknown topics like author's habits, and interesting stories about their works. The author sets out to entertain by showing behind-the-scenes things that most people don't see. In the start, Andrews talks about wanting to share his personal studies about writers and how they create. It also highlights just how different famous writes like Charles Dickens and Anthony Trollope were with their writing habits. It hints at the big money some writers made from their books, setting up a contrast between those who made it big and those who struggled. The opening feels curious and respectful of writers and writing, telling us that there are interesting stories and ideas to come.