Based on extant pedagogical and research applications of fiction to communication studies, this essay argues that fiction not only engages students and entices them to read, but also builds critical thinking and writing skills. The author used Carl Hiaasen's "Native Tongue" and Christopher Buckley's "Thank You for Smoking" as "texts" in an upper-division public relations class to enhance student learning outcomes. Student journals, class discussion, and final exam essays all indicated that the novels helped students reflect deeply on certain ethical issues in public relations and to think critically about course content. The essay includes suggestions for using this "novel" approach to textbooks.