Scan barcode
myriadreads's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic! Every essay is good, but those by Atwood, Le Guin, Doctorow, and Winterson really stand out.
toniclark's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, somewhat disappointed. I admit, I bought the book without checking the contents very closely. Most of these essays are from the 1990s — which doesn't mean they can't be good, relevant, etc. But the collection is very uneven. Different people will, no doubt, have their own favorites. Mine were Adiche, Atwood, and Doctorow. Russell Banks was okay. I couldn't warm to the rest.
blairconrad's review against another edition
4.0
Generally interesting essays. I didn't read them all, as I hadn't the time.
Best part? [a:Ursula K. Le Guin|874602|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1244291425p2/874602.jpg]'s thoughts on imaginative fiction.
Best part? [a:Ursula K. Le Guin|874602|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1244291425p2/874602.jpg]'s thoughts on imaginative fiction.
alpal2020's review against another edition
3.0
Some of the essays were really interesting; I'm not a writer, but the Ursula K. Le Guin essay and the Marilynne Robinson essay made me a better reader, I think. Some of them were very navel-gazey and unpleasant, though. One of them even argued that you shouldn't research when you write historical fiction because that's not what fiction is. That, to me, felt irresponsible...
Read this book; skip the essays by men. Sorry to put it so bluntly...
Read this book; skip the essays by men. Sorry to put it so bluntly...
isheekagoswami's review against another edition
3.0
Some inspiring, thought provoking pieces in here. There were also a couple of meandering pieces, and I feel particularly sorry for the people who had to listen to the Marilynne Robinson talk - I couldn't even finish reading it.
sawyerbell's review against another edition
3.0
Mixed bag but the essays by Atwood, Winterson, LeGuin and Doctorow were all good.
teaandbooklover's review against another edition
3.0
The only thing in this book that spoke to me was the essay from Ursula Le Guin. Otherwise, meh.
tome15's review against another edition
4.0
These essays on the writing process and the nature of inspiration are a kind of hit and miss affair. I love the essays by Le Guin and Doctorow. The essay by Russell Banks is also a pleasant surprise.
senid's review against another edition
4.0
A collection of essays by well known writers. The collection is a bit uneven, but a number of my favorite authors are here. Margaret Atwood, Ursula K Le Guin, and Jeanette Winterson are all fascinating. I especially enjoyed the essay by Chimamanda Adichie who is an author I have not read yet. Well worth a read or skim for the essays and authors you love.