Although I am an avid reader and consider myself pretty well-read, I constantly look at other reviews and wish that I had the insight that others seem to have. Granted, many of the reviews that I look at are from people who have studied literature at college and/or university, but there are many people who just seem to know what they’re talking about. More than I do, anyway. So I decided to start to rectify that and this book came with recommendations from friends.
This book really does start with the basics. I consider myself to be at a pretty low level, a lay reader I guess, and I was able to understand all of this book. I read another book – How Fiction Works – last year, and I found it to be pretty jargon-full, but this book isn’t that at all. Add to that the humour that runs through the writing and this made for a pretty good read.
The sections are well structured and flow easily and he uses examples throughout. Whilst I haven’t read everything that he used, it didn’t impact my understanding of the points he was raising. The style was pretty informal and it didn’t feel like professorial writing at all (except for the few times he actually mentioned that this was how professors think). There’s also a reading list at the back which I’m sure I will work my way through!
Now to attempt to use what I’ve learned… I get the feeling that I will be coming back to this book as a reference for a while!
Source: I bought it
Publisher: Harper, 2003
Pages: 336
My Rating: 5 stars
Shirley
February 26, 2011 at 5:43 pm
Hello and welcome to the world of book blogging. I was referred to this blog by The Book Whisperer.
This sounds like an excellent reference book for those of us serious about preparing book reviews and/or getting the most out of what we read. I now follow you by email.
Shirley, writer of My Bookshelf
blatantbiblioholic
February 26, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Hi Shirley! This really is a great reference book and I will certainly be dipping in and out of it as I try to decipher my books in the future! Thanks for following me, I will definitely check out your blog!
Jennifer Orozco
February 28, 2011 at 4:37 pm
Hi, I was referred to your site as well, by The Book Whisperer. I love that you posted this book up….I, too, am constantly amazed at the astute comments and analysis some book reviewers bring to the table. I fight a constant battle of “to write” or “not to write” because I feel like I need to hone my writing skills before I post (Procrasinating procilivites add to this as well). The cliche rings true in this case: practice makes perfect.
Great post and lovely blog.
Blatant Biblioholic
February 28, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Thanks
Yeah, practice definitely makes perfect. And I will need to keep going back to it I think because it was a lot to take in. Still, I hope some of it sunk in. I gues time will tell!