The Art of Nonfiction

I really like this book for what it has to say, but I wish they had gotten another narrator. The narrator takes the authors words and makes them sound arrogant and scolding, when I can't imagine that that tone of voice is what the author had in mind when she wrote those words. I'm learning a lot from this book, but it's taking a lot of work to get past the narrator's annoying tone and just listen to what the original intent of the author is. I really wish they'd re record this book with another narrator that doesn't sound so snotty.

I like the content, but the ego of either the writer or the narrator is exhausting--I can't decide whether to blame the author or the narrator. Her over use of certain words is distracting and annoying. One could gain a fair amount knowledge if he looks past the wagging finger of the self-proclaimed genius.

Comparably, Strunk is a house cat.

This overview on writing non fiction was an excellent insight into the process on which Ayn Rand an expert. I would highly recommend this even for the professional writer.

The book is good, but not great. A bit dry in places. I think some of her analogies are faulty because people should be encouraged to write; her observation about New Yorker being filled with the same type of writing does hold up to closer inspection. However, just because it has been done in the past, doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be completely new to someone who had never seen an original publication on a topic.

Thank God! Not every editor is Ayn Rand or we would only get about 10 books a year published.