A review by xinetr
Why Write?: A Master Class on the Art of Writing and Why It Matters by Mark Edmundson

3.0

Despite the chapter on reviews, perhaps designed to discourage reviewing, I will share some thoughts about this book. Overall, it encourages anyone to write though some of the reasons that serve as chapter titles are more small-minded than others (or than I would choose). I did wonder if the subtitle was the publisher's idea (although it's so academic to have the obligatory colon: subtitle), because it reminded me more of the trend in clickbait titles that never really live up to the promise--it didn't seem like a Master Class on the Art of Writing. Aside from Jane Austen and Virginia Woolf, not many women writers were mentioned or given much time or seen as funny, etc, the way white male English-writing authors were. It was kind of fun to realize he might have gone to Tufts with his discussion of "azul azul" learned in the Hillside section of Medford; Ronna Johnson could learn a thing or two about Melville from this book. Oh wait, is that my own [small-minded] wish for "revenge" creeping in, wink wink? Anyway, the book gets better as it goes on. I'm self-conscious again of reviewing it--and the chapter does consider the idea of saving one's time/money, reminding me of the only two movies I'd ever seen and been appalled at having wasted the time/money (one with good reviews), so I should say simply, though parts of the middle were rather sleep-inducing, in the end it was a plus to have read this book.