My Trade Is Mystery
Seven Meditations from a Life in Writing
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My Trade Is Mystery
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Narrated by:
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Carl Phillips
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By:
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Carl Phillips
About this listen
An invaluable companion for writers at every stage of their journey to make the writing life a more complex and cooperative venture.
In this intimate and eloquent meditation, the award-winning poet Carl Phillips shares lessons he has learned about what he calls an “apprenticeship to what can never fully be mastered”, through 40 years of teaching and mentoring emerging writers. He weaves together his experiences as a poet and prose writer with discussions of underexplored elements of the writing life, including ambition, stamina, silence, politics, practice, audience, and community.
In the tradition of Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, Rainer Maria Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet, and Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations, this is an invaluable companion for writers at every stage of their journey. Phillips’ book serves as a partner in speculation and an invitation to embrace mystery.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A bit of an interview clip show
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What listeners say about My Trade Is Mystery
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Beth Casteel
- 11-22-22
Outstanding
Beautiful words to inspire any writer. Loved this. And having Carl narrate was wonderful - so calm and peaceful and beautiful.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tom
- 05-28-24
Useful framework of tools for Writers and the rest of us
Nice combination of DIY Manual and Thought Piece not just for professional Poets and Writers but enjoyable for anyone who wants to embark on a project. His insights are often very personal but that only conveys a sense of Humanity and Authenticity that Readers will appreciate.
Four Stars. ****
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