Book post

Feb. 11th, 2013 11:02 am
vamysteryfan: (books)
[personal profile] vamysteryfan
Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction by Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd.
This is a excellent book. If you have any desire at all to write, you must read this. It explores techniques of narratives, essays, and memoirs. And after all, what are blog entries but brief essays? It's also a wonderful story about the way editors and writers work together. The final eight pages of Notes on Usage alone is worth reading.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser. This is the classic guide to writing nonfiction. He covers principles, methods, forms, and attitudes. Every chapter has something that can help you be a better writer. Even the most casual writer can get something from it. He's very accessible.

The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, edited by John J. Adams. A collection of short stories that mix the fantastic and straight mystery. Nothing is impossible and nothing can be ruled out. The authors also range from mystery to science fiction to fantasy writers. There's something here for everyone's tastes if you are a Holmes fan.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. Dangerous dames, world-weary cops, and of course the lone wolf detective. Marlowe's speech near the end spells out the creed of the hard-boiled detective. Also a great look at Los Angeles during a particular period of time. Good stuff.

Date: 2013-02-12 02:05 am (UTC)
elmyraemilie: (Misc: blue door heavens)
From: [personal profile] elmyraemilie
Making note of those writing books. I think I've read that Holmes anthology; at least, I've read one like it, and got a lot of enjoyment out of it. And the Big Sleep is a paragon of the genre--it occupies my list of five favorite books of all time, along with Pride and Prejudice, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, Gaudy Night and the Holmes stories.

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