When I set out to write a book about the natural history of breasts, I knew I'd have to answer some awkward questions about my book topic. At a...
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Finally a creative writing text that doesn't say the same old things but actually treats writing like the process that it is. Includes classic short stories, like "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin, as well as some less known but wonderful stories like "My Date with Satan" by Stacey Richter
Nobody can make hurt as beautiful as Anne Carson can. I can't think of a poet who creates characters as well as she does, and without losing any of her poetic sensibility. These characters are sometimes cruel, often full of unsatiable longing, often maddening and yet recognizably, heart-breakingly human.
Kevin Brockmeier's Rumpelstiltskin story alone is worth the price. If you are someone who sees the world as a strange and wondrous place, these tales are for you.
An entire memoir written in second person. I think on principle most people hearing of such a thing would just say no. The guy who came up to me when he saw me reading the book at the airport said, “that would never fly in workshop” (he was coming from the same writing conference I was; I don’t think random airport travelers know about workshop). But there are a couple of reasons a book-length second person isn’t a problem, at least in this case. For one, Richard isn’t writing in scene so you don’t get awkward dialogue tags. And for another he almost never writes action. So you don’t get a lot of You do this, You do that. In fact “you” rarely starts a sentence; it is almost always buried inside. Now before you go all “show don’t tell” on me, let me explain that while Richard doesn’t write much dialogue or action (otherwise known as scene), this memoir does nothing but show. It’s just expositional showing. It’s like a memoir of every striking image, Richard has ever seen. And you quite literally see the world through his eyes, and as a result you feel like you know him intimately (probably much more so than if he gave you the usual blend of scene and reflection). Highly recommended reading.
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Ayse has commented on (5) products.
The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht
Ayse, August 21, 2011
It's amazing how this novels feels contemporary and mythic at the same time. Layered and rich.The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing by Alice Laplante
Ayse, July 22, 2011
Finally a creative writing text that doesn't say the same old things but actually treats writing like the process that it is. Includes classic short stories, like "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin, as well as some less known but wonderful stories like "My Date with Satan" by Stacey RichterThe Beauty of the Husband: A Fictional Essay in 29 Tangos by Anne Carson
Ayse, April 15, 2011
Nobody can make hurt as beautiful as Anne Carson can. I can't think of a poet who creates characters as well as she does, and without losing any of her poetic sensibility. These characters are sometimes cruel, often full of unsatiable longing, often maddening and yet recognizably, heart-breakingly human.My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me by Kate Bernheimer
Ayse, April 15, 2011
Kevin Brockmeier's Rumpelstiltskin story alone is worth the price. If you are someone who sees the world as a strange and wondrous place, these tales are for you.House of Prayer No. 2: A Writer's Journey Home by Mark Richard
Ayse, February 22, 2011
An entire memoir written in second person. I think on principle most people hearing of such a thing would just say no. The guy who came up to me when he saw me reading the book at the airport said, “that would never fly in workshop” (he was coming from the same writing conference I was; I don’t think random airport travelers know about workshop). But there are a couple of reasons a book-length second person isn’t a problem, at least in this case. For one, Richard isn’t writing in scene so you don’t get awkward dialogue tags. And for another he almost never writes action. So you don’t get a lot of You do this, You do that. In fact “you” rarely starts a sentence; it is almost always buried inside. Now before you go all “show don’t tell” on me, let me explain that while Richard doesn’t write much dialogue or action (otherwise known as scene), this memoir does nothing but show. It’s just expositional showing. It’s like a memoir of every striking image, Richard has ever seen. And you quite literally see the world through his eyes, and as a result you feel like you know him intimately (probably much more so than if he gave you the usual blend of scene and reflection). Highly recommended reading.(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)