Reading Like a Writer

By: Francine Prose

Narrated by: Nanette Savard

Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

In this entertaining and edifying New York Times best-seller, acclaimed author Francine Prose invites you to sit by her side and take a guided tour of the tools and tricks of the masters and to discover why their work has endured.

Written with passion, humor, and wisdom, Reading Like a Writer will inspire listeners to return to literature with a fresh eye and an eager heart; to take pleasure in the long and magnificent sentences of Philip Roth and the breathtaking paragraphs of Isaac Babel; to look to John le Carre for a lesson in how to advance plot through dialogue; and to Flannery O'Connor for the cunning use of the telling detail. And, most importantly, she cautions listeners to slow down and pay attention to words, the raw material out of which all literature is crafted.

©2006 Francine Prose (P)2007 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Prose's observations are incandescent, and her examples are thrilling, ranging from Samuel Johnson to Katherine Mansfield, Flannery O'Connor, Raymond Chandler, Stanley Elkin, and Paula Fox." (Booklist)

Enjoyable Examples

I found that the narrator did not match the tone of the content, and that she somehow devalued it. Overall though, it was inspirational and I will be reading some of the suggested examples.

I try to read or listen to this book once a year.

a great book on reading and writing. very well read ' very well writtem. I recommend

pretty good and quite thoughtful

i figured I was missing something from all the classics I've rejected as bad literature and i was correct in assuming so. it turns out, while i may not appreciate the art, it is art none the less.

I am Not Sure

A professor recommended this book to me to help with my writing career. I am not sure why because most of what was given was written like her life story and only little nuggets of facts were included. I tried to figure out what was so helpful in an 8+ hour listen but only came away with about 4 things. I guess that's better than wasting 8+ hours of my time and coming away with nothing. The narrator was very good.

A modern day little women

This novel leaves you with a wonderful warm and loving ache similar to the classic little women. Great, we read!

Want to write? Read this.

Wonderful insights into the writing craft. Highly recommend. Multiple examples illustrate Prose’s points, and have now led me to some brilliant works of literature.

very useful

What about Nanette Savard’s performance did you like?

Very good and clear reading with some good acting-reading of the literary texts.

What insight do you think you’ll apply from Reading Like a Writer?

It is an excellent book for every writer, a very interesting approach to creeatrive writing and learning form other writers' tricks. Also, a useful material for discussion for every teacher of Creative Writing. It was a nice way of re-aquainting with literary classics. Highly recommneded!

Great read!

I figured I already knew how to read like a writer but this was still fun to see how someone else approaches it. Plus it was fun getting to know more about a lot of classics and learn about new ones to add to my list.

Practical, literate, generous

The treatment that you would expect at an Ivy league modern literature summer seminar. Good examples, truly helps to inform your focus as you read.

Such a pleasure!

This is a great book for BOTH reader and writers. The performance is excellent and I love the content. It opened my eyes to writers I would not have known. Highly recommended!