An exploration of the creative process in four classic works: , Rubáiyát and . examines four very dissimilar masterpieces and their authors in search of evidence that will answer some of the many questions in the great mystery of creativity. Crossing boundaries of period, nation, and genre, the study looks into the "why" and "how" of the creation of Thomas Mann's , Robert Louis Stevenson's , Edward FitzGerald's , and Lev Tolstoy's