by Rita Mae Brown

isbn: 055334630X
subject: Nonfiction, Writing
finished: 11/13/1997

This book is not so much about how to write, but about some necessary conditions for one to be a good writer. For example: learning Latin, taking care of your body, and understanding how vocabulary and voice affect our perceptions of a character. Brown's irreverent style and humorous anecdotes make this a quick and interesting read. The reading list at the end of the book is impressive; it's a chronological listing of what Brown considers to be the 400 or so most important books in English. I would love to read everything on it, although I estimate that it would take around five years even if I stopped reading anything else. I was pleasantly surprised to notice that Brown is a local author; I've been meaning to read more books by people who live or have lived in Charlottesville. Poe and Jefferson are on my list, as well as Faulkner and Jonathan Carroll. I'll pass on John Grisham thank you very much...