The idea is compelling that literary prose obeys a specific logic when it tries to be accepted as a form of art. Lacking the evidently artificial character of formed poetry, literary prose needs to develop specific techniques to mark its difference from 'prosaic' speech. The history of this idea and of the aesthetic implications still remains to be written. The authors of this volume intend to close this gap by unfolding the conceptual and historic dimension of the 'logic of the prose': focusing on fictional and non-fictional genres (drama, novel, diary, essay), on sophisticated forms as well as on apparently inartificial forms, on epics as well as on juvenile literature or dime novels. The volume includes also studies on literary texts from the 18th century until today.