The stories in this book all have the same basic "set-up" (to borrow the rather precious Jamesian tic of putting "slang" terms in quotation marks): an older, established writer (or a dead one) and his younger, obsessed acolyte/fanboy. The title story is widely available, but this particular Penguin Classics edition is notable for bringing together a number of James' shorter works that revolve around writers and writing. "The Lesson of the Master" is also a standout.