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theseventhl's review against another edition
4.0
This is certainly a powerful little collection of essays focused on the importance of writing and how it combats censorship. I greatly enjoyed reading different authors' takes on the same subject, as well as their anecdota of how the written word has been used to fight the wrongs of society. One story that stuck with me particularly was that of author Pico Iyer's correspondence with Maung-Maung in Burma (now Myanmar). Never did I feel that the essays were too self-congratulatory or arrogant in tone, but that each author tackled their topic of choice with tact and grace. I would certainly re-read this in the near future, if given the chance.
flaneussy's review against another edition
3.0
Many of these pieces are well-written (obviously, given the contributors), but most of them aren’t saying anything particularly revolutionary. John Updike’s “Why Write?” stands out to me because I found his style and command of language personally inspiring (I’ve previously disliked things I’ve read by Updike, but maybe it’s time to try again?)
If anything, this collection is a good place to start forming a reading list, as the contributors allude to other interesting-sounding authors.
If anything, this collection is a good place to start forming a reading list, as the contributors allude to other interesting-sounding authors.
cbendixe's review against another edition
3.0
There are a few good essays in this book--I especially liked Russell Banks's essay on the role of writers as activists (John Updike's essay touches on this issue also, but I like the way Banks wrote his better). The essays by Paul Auster and Orhan Pamuk were also good, i.e. thought-provoking without being too academic, realistic about writing as a lifestyle, and appreciative of the opportunities provided to writers in rich Western democracies. Pamuk should know! I recommend this if you are a writer, especially an unmotivated one.
illymally's review against another edition
5.0
Great collection of essays by authors of fiction on literature and its role in a political world.
siria's review against another edition
2.0
Pretty tiresome. I liked Pico Iyer's and Nadine Gordimer's essays, but this was largely an uneven and self-congratulatory collection. Francine Prose's contribution made me roll my eyes—her writing had a tendency to confuse barely-developed ideas and smug questions for gnomicism. Ed Park's was inane. No one, it seems, ever told John Updike that his personal experiences and feelings are not necessarily universal—I found his essay infuriating, positing as it does that everyone ought to feel about writing the same way as he does. Still, I suppose the time spent reading this slim volume saved me from spending much longer slogging through the novels of some of the writers featured here.
aroldo's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
amyjbc's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
A necessary read for those in the fight against book banning.