Pity the Reader

On Writing with Style

By: Kurt Vonnegut, Suzanne McConnell

Narrated by: Karen White

Length: 12 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

The art and craft of writing by one of the few grandmasters of American literature, a bonanza for writers and listeners written by Kurt Vonnegut's former student.  

Here is an entirely new side of Kurt Vonnegut, Vonnegut as a teacher of writing. Of course he's given us glimpses before, with aphorisms and short essays and articles and in his speeches. But never before has an entire book been devoted to Kurt Vonnegut the teacher. Here is pretty much everything Vonnegut ever said or wrote having to do with the writing art and craft, altogether a healing, a nourishing expedition. McConnell has outfitted us for the journey, and in these 37 chapters covers the waterfront of how one American writer brought himself to the pinnacle of the writing art, and we can all benefit as a result.  

Kurt Vonnegut was one of the few grandmasters of American literature, whose novels continue to influence new generations about the ways in which our imaginations can help us to live. Few aspects of his contribution have not been plumbed - 14 novels, collections of his speeches, his essays, his letters, his plays - so this fresh view of him, written by a former student, is a bonanza for writers and listeners and Vonnegut fans everywhere.

©2019 Trust u/w of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Unlistenable

Narrarator sounds utterly insufferable. Couldn't even get through the intro. It's like they went to The New Yorker or a Cape Cod country club and asked for the most pompous person there.

Feminist critique of Vonnegut's life

Mostly advice and political commentary from a literature professor rather than from Vonnegut, so buy it if that's what you want.

Annoying narrator

This information might have been useful but I had to stop halfway through because the narrator was making my skin crawl with their over stylized way of speaking.

The best book for the most people’s benefit. According to my assessment.

The greatest book on the craft for the greatest number of people of all trades. The representative of the writing trade instructs all the trades by describing the method of creation itself. Suzanne McConnell dances her melodies with Kurts melodies like two jazz master buddies riffing with a band.
Suzanne perspective as an editor, writer, and coconspirator with ‘Kurt’ .
Thank You Suzanne for bringing all of Kurt and students’ of Kurt’s knowledge and humorous wit, wisdom, knowledge, & harmony to life in this book.
Funny Welcoming Joyful Encouraging as hell, like having a friend in the car with you exploring the intelligent creator in every one of us.
Anyway I really like this book ok?
And if you even scarcely like Vonnegut’s books you will notice how good it feels to dig into the mud with this book.
MFW

Like a Good College Class

Imagine taking a creative writing course in college focused on what we can learn from celebrated author Kurt Vonnegut. Imagine the course being structured and taught by a competent professor who is herself an author and was a student of Kurt’s. If this appeals to you, you will love this book. It is filled with direct quotes from Kurt’s writings and interviews and excerpts from his books put in context. I believe most writers and lovers of Vonnegut’s work will enjoy this. Now, if you are looking for a book directly written by Kurt Vonnegut this is not it. I enjoyed the course in audio book form and recommend it.

Loved it!

Great advice and encouragement for writers. Write because you love it, be happy with what you've created for you have created something that no one else on the earth could.

Learning through story telling

There are plenty of good tips for writers in here, and many of them come to you through the stories of Kurt's life and the author's life, as she learned from Kurt. It's about how writing is a way of life, a way to express yourself and work through the details and plot lines of your own life. To do that, the author demonstrates the lessons, and how they played out in the life and times of Kurt Vonnegut. I took some notes, but much of was just absorbed through listening.