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pdxpiney's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Not a lit survey, and won’t tell you how to write. What writer wants that anyway, really? Prose pushes close reading and freedom from arbitrary rules. Many of the sources she draws on as examples I wouldn’t go near for pleasure, and that in itself was instructive: look what you can get out of this. Overall a bit dated, but again exercise your mind and learn from the book anyway.
gracie_reads_everything's review against another edition
5.0
Prose breaks down how best to examine literature and learn from its masters about the writing process. She points out that there are no clear “rules” that literature strictly adheres to, but rather tries best to guide the young writer by pointing out extensive examples of excellent prose and how it’s built down to its minuet elements: paragraph, sentence, and words. She emphasizes the importance of separating critical theory from the experience and appreciation of literature, in order to best be educated by its properties and methods.
FHer advice is both contemplative and helpful, allowing the reader to think critically about how to write while also allowing for examples to explicate how good prose is constructed. Her reverence for various types of literature and reliance on the masters is useful in allowing the reader to be educated by what they find to be brilliant prose as well as to emphasize the necessity of close reading in order to teach oneself to write. I appreciate the lack of limitations Prose places on what creates good writings, and how she gives both examples and counter examples that demonstrate the many diverse ways in which writing can be done well. An instructive guide to the young writer and a love letter to literature.
FHer advice is both contemplative and helpful, allowing the reader to think critically about how to write while also allowing for examples to explicate how good prose is constructed. Her reverence for various types of literature and reliance on the masters is useful in allowing the reader to be educated by what they find to be brilliant prose as well as to emphasize the necessity of close reading in order to teach oneself to write. I appreciate the lack of limitations Prose places on what creates good writings, and how she gives both examples and counter examples that demonstrate the many diverse ways in which writing can be done well. An instructive guide to the young writer and a love letter to literature.
eitheror's review against another edition
Thought this book would be an explainer on how to write or highlighting good prose. It's just excerpts of books the authors like, and they're all very dull. Didn't feel like I was learning anything
tealeafbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Note: I recommend reading the P.S. section in the back, too. If you usually skip that part, you should read it.