Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Posted by admin | Posted in pets | Posted on 06-03-2010
5
- ISBN13: 9780385480017
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
A step-by-step guide to writing and managing the writer’s life covers each portion of a written project, addresses such concerns as writer’s block and getting published, and offers awareness and survival tips. Reprint. Tour. K. NYT. Amazon.com Review
Think you’ve got a book inside of you? Anne Lamott isn’t afraid to help you let it out. She’ll help you find your passion and your voice, beginning from the first really crummy draft to the peculiar l… More >>
Managed to read one chapter with great difficultly. The name of the second chapter begins with the S-word. If some one has to use that kind of word to convey an idea, you can judge how much expressive power the author has.
This is ideal for kids (with the s-word blackened out
. More serious writers should read “How to Write: Advice and Reflections” by Richard Rhodes.
Rating: 1 / 5
Her editor was right the first time: she has nothing to say. This book is such an insult for aspiriting writers turing to her for advice. She doesn’t give it. Holding to her chest all her cards about how to really get published, she instead thinks she can sidestep that with advice on life in general. Title is great, the reason for the title is great (her brother was overwhelmed by a report on birds and the father said take it bird by bird) but that’s where her depth stops. Too bad because there are so many people with a real desire to help and guide writers but this isn’t it and neither is she.
Rating: 2 / 5
I am at a loss to explain the glowing reviews of this book. Although Bird by Bird contains good advice on writing, I found the author extremely unlikable. Self-absorbed, egotistical, neurotic — I guess if you take her as an example of how not to live your life, the idea works. I personally don’t see how anyone could view her as a role model (cocaine and God? well, that’s Northern California for you…).
A more helpful book would have at least included some advice for us poor souls who are otherwise employable (and have jobs) but still want to write. She seems to assume that everyone reading her book has the entire day free to write (or whine, or do “retail therapy”).
Finally, as a personal note to the author — Ms. Lamott, it’s called “shopping”, not retail therapy. Get over yourself. And for your son’s sake, stop doing drugs.
Rating: 1 / 5
I found this book very depressing. Anne Lamott’s constant self-deprecation throughout the book caused me to really doubt myself as well. I know she is doing it to show that she’s human just like the rest of us, but I think she can show that without hating on herself every chance she gets (saying the 9-year-old version of herself looked like a neurotic cat woman, etc.) despite what she says about how you shouldn’t do that. It’s like hanging around with a bunch of anorexic models, it gets to you.
This is not a good book for people who are not sure they are writers. I am not a writer but I am interested in writing and I would very much like to write fiction but I have a lot of trouble writing authentically. Lamott sends the message that “As long as you’re a writer, as long as you’re in our secret little club, everything will be okay!”
Rating: 2 / 5
I was duped into buying this by all the glowing reviews. Not only is the material lousy but I became so disgusted with the author as a person I couldn’t stand to read another word. She is a pitiful person and I cannot imagine anyone wanting to read a word she writes. This is a book about her sad life much more than about writing.
Rating: 1 / 5