Book excerpt: Author Robert A. Parker has compiled here his critique of hundreds of novels he has read. This is the third of six volumes that cover authors alphabetically, in this case from George Gissing to Milan Kundera. More than 85 authors are represented, including Greene, Hawthorne, Hemingway, Hersey, Horgan, James, Joyce, Kazantzakis Kafka, Kennedy, and King. They reflect a broad range of writing styles, cultural influences, and moral philosophies. All works are rated on their literary achievement, the effectiveness of plot, character, and setting, plus their recognition of the moral, ethical and spiritual values of mankind. Here is a unique critical perspective that measures the meaning of literature against the meaning of life.