Jack Vance was one of the most influential writers in science fiction, fantasy, and mystery literature. Beginning in 1945 with his short story "The World-Thinker", followed in 1950 by The Dying Earth - a landmark work of fantasy which helped shape the evolution of the field, and which even served as an inspiration for Dungeons & Dragons - Vance went on to write more than fifty novels and dozens of novellas and short stories, including such classics as the Lyonesse trilogy, the adventures of Cugel the Clever, The Demon Princes series, and The Cadwal Chronicles. He has been honored with three Hugo Awards, the Nebula, Jupiter, Edgar, World Fantasy Award, and attained the rank of SFWA Grand Master for lifetime achievement in the fantasy and science fiction world.

Vance was famously reticent on the topics of himself and his writing. In 2009, This Is Me, Jack Vance! at last allowed a glimpse into his life and craft. Now his memoir is expanded with a plethora of new photographs, personal notes, documents, and excerpts from private manuscripts and scrapbooks to provide a treasury of memories, thoughts, and images that illuminate the inner world of a brilliant creator.