Ong brings together existentialist philosphies of Kierkegaard, Sartre, and Beauvoir with readings of the literary novel to discuss how novels address our knowledge of existence. She reframes classic debates about novels in her readings of Tolstoy, Eliot, Austen, James, Flaubert, and Zola. Philisophical ideas of self-knowledge, freedom, authority, the individual's relationship with the world, and the project of improving humanness are examined. How do we maintain our individuality, and also exist in the world? How do we know ourselves, and remain true to ourselves, and do we have authority and freedom to make our own choices? We examine these ideas in our relationship with art. Harvard University. 2018. Hb, Dj. NEW. $45.00