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A review by dorhastings
On Writers and Writing by Margaret Atwood
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
How this book ended up on my TBR: Funny story. So this Audible audiobook is one that I acquired during The Time of Spending All the Credits. I've read several of Atwood's books and, at this point at least, watched her Masterclass. The only Masterclass that I ever completed, start to finish, and wanted to watch again (in part, because she reminds me so much of my wonderful aunt, Betty). But as I was entering this book into GoodReads, I realized that I had actually read this book before. I have a paperback version of this book, Negotiating with the Dead, not knowing it was the same book.
I will include my earlier review below; it's from 2011. At the time I suspect I was expecting more of a "typical" memoir from Atwood. A silly expectation, now that I think more about the author. Now that I've listened to the book again, I can't really disagree with my earlier review, but I have some thoughts. First, this was not meant to be a "typical" memoir, as it originated as a series of lectures on writing. So the primary audience for this book is writers. Second, maybe it's the type of memoir that Atwood would want to write. Perhaps it is actually more personal than I originally thought. Just because she's not referring to herself all of the time does not mean that the book is not about her, her experiences, and her thoughts. Rather, she is trying to explore themes that plague many, if not most, writers. At some point, she talks about the writer as two entities: the writer, and the non-writer person. They impact each other, no doubt. It is this relationship that Atwood explores in this book.
As for the audiobook format, I could listen to Atwood read the dictionary. I love hearing her talk. The Audible version has an interview with Atwood, but there's nothing special to it. I hope there is a non-Audible version of this book.
--
Review from 2011
This book is a little more 3.5 stars, but such are the details. I happily give four stars to this book. I have only read a handful of Margaret Atwood's work (the Margaret Atwood of each book, that is). Each author is quite unique when writing about writing, and while I can't entirely identify with this book, I know that when Margaret Atwood was writing for the lecture series (and then, of course, for this book), that she felt these topics were relevant and necessary.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the first chapter, where Atwood gives the reader a glimpse into her childhood. I had no idea that she was a poet. I found myself somewhat unable to understand a chapter or two of the whole text, but that wasn't too much in the grand scheme of things. The last writing book I read invested a lot of attention in the writing aspect. This book seemed geared more toward the writer as a person as well as the audience.
I will definitely take this book to heart. "Advice for the innocent pilgrim, worthy enough, no doubt, but no doubt useless: dangers multiply by the hour, you never step into the same river twice, the vast empty spaces of the blank page appall, and everyone walks into the maze blindfolded" (p. xviii). Writers "steal the shiny bits, and build them into the structures of our own disorderly nests" (p. xix). I like the focus on context: how the past affects the writer, and how the present affects the reader. Very worth the read.
I will include my earlier review below; it's from 2011. At the time I suspect I was expecting more of a "typical" memoir from Atwood. A silly expectation, now that I think more about the author. Now that I've listened to the book again, I can't really disagree with my earlier review, but I have some thoughts. First, this was not meant to be a "typical" memoir, as it originated as a series of lectures on writing. So the primary audience for this book is writers. Second, maybe it's the type of memoir that Atwood would want to write. Perhaps it is actually more personal than I originally thought. Just because she's not referring to herself all of the time does not mean that the book is not about her, her experiences, and her thoughts. Rather, she is trying to explore themes that plague many, if not most, writers. At some point, she talks about the writer as two entities: the writer, and the non-writer person. They impact each other, no doubt. It is this relationship that Atwood explores in this book.
As for the audiobook format, I could listen to Atwood read the dictionary. I love hearing her talk. The Audible version has an interview with Atwood, but there's nothing special to it. I hope there is a non-Audible version of this book.
--
Review from 2011
This book is a little more 3.5 stars, but such are the details. I happily give four stars to this book. I have only read a handful of Margaret Atwood's work (the Margaret Atwood of each book, that is). Each author is quite unique when writing about writing, and while I can't entirely identify with this book, I know that when Margaret Atwood was writing for the lecture series (and then, of course, for this book), that she felt these topics were relevant and necessary.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the first chapter, where Atwood gives the reader a glimpse into her childhood. I had no idea that she was a poet. I found myself somewhat unable to understand a chapter or two of the whole text, but that wasn't too much in the grand scheme of things. The last writing book I read invested a lot of attention in the writing aspect. This book seemed geared more toward the writer as a person as well as the audience.
I will definitely take this book to heart. "Advice for the innocent pilgrim, worthy enough, no doubt, but no doubt useless: dangers multiply by the hour, you never step into the same river twice, the vast empty spaces of the blank page appall, and everyone walks into the maze blindfolded" (p. xviii). Writers "steal the shiny bits, and build them into the structures of our own disorderly nests" (p. xix). I like the focus on context: how the past affects the writer, and how the present affects the reader. Very worth the read.