Four Authors of Classical Contemporary Literature Defined the Craft of Writing Perfect Prose

From academicians to book critics to lay readers, each is often eager to recommend a list of authors who will provide aspiring writers with a sound foundation from which to build. Any suggestions should be revered, and it would be ridiculous for one person to state that her/his idea of quality prose is better than another's.

However, there are four aspects of the craft of writing that many who understand literature would argue have never been better addressed: Steinbeck's perfection with dialogue, Faulkner's depth of characterization, Hemingway's precise narrative, and Fitzgerald's palpable creation of mood.