Beyond Life is yet another wholly original work from Virginia writer James Branch Cabell. It's an imagined conversation between John Charteris, a successful author, and a young editor. They sit in a library lined with books categorized as unwritten masterpieces or intended editions--a wry commentary on the business of publishing by one of America's overlooked masters. The two discuss writers and writing, especially those who published in the early 20th century and the demands of the market. Anyone interested in the act of writing and publishing will find an amusing and thought-provoking discussion in Beyond Life.

JAMES BRANCH CABELL, a native of Richmond, Virginia, wrote more than fifty books. He is best known for his novel Jurgen, which he wrote in 1919, and his octodecalogy, Biography of the Life of Manuel, which features the mythical world of Poictesme and the castle Storisende. His writing features many anagrams, puns, and wordplay, features that have made him a cult figure to many readers. The Virginia Commonwealth University established the James Branch Cabell Library in 1970.