In chapters 10 and 11, the tightly controlled spiral of thought which I find so engrossing seems to unravel a bit. Ten, "Learning from Chekov," is basically an encomium. It reads much more like memoir than literary criticism, as Prose discusses the personal growth she found in reading the Russian master. There is no doubt that a close reading of Chekov's technical genius can benefit any writer, but the placement of such a discussion seems awkward and a touch redundant. Chapter 11 is called "Reading for Courage," and covers the ways in which great writers have always had to overcome both internal and external expectations. While I took great inspiration in the stories told, as I think was the intent, the tonal and structural departure from the rest of the book left me a little disappointed in the end.
Despite the cover, which reads "A guide for people who love books and for those who want to write them," this is not for the intellectually faint of heart. It's an erudite argument for the joy and value of reading. More than that, though, I found it a great encouragement to reading literary fiction. Indeed, through Prose's book, I came away with a fuller knowledge of the works she cites and an interest to read more. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the plethora of "great" books, Reading Like a Writer is an excellent place to start for both suggested titles and the wisdom to read them well.
Article comments
1 - Helen Gallagher
Thanks for this review, Chris. It must have been excruciating for the author, Francine Prose, to write, with such comprehension of words, sentences, paragraphs... yikes!
Helen
2 - roger nowosielski
I'll second that. Francine Prose's primer is a must-read for all aspiring writers.
Especially memorable is the part when she talks about "perfect sentence."
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