Negotiating with the Dead - Margaret Atwood

Writing, Writers, The Writing Life - if this last is not an oxymoron. Is the subject like the many-headed Hydra, which grows tow other subtexts as soon as you demolish one? Or is it more like Jacob's nameless angel, with whom you must wrestle until he blesses you? Or is it like Proteus, who must be firmly grasped through all his changes? Hard to get hold of, certainly. Where to start? At the end called Writing, or the end called The Writer? With the gerund or the noun, the activity or the one performing it? And where exactly does one stop and the other begin?

Atwood takes a fresh, fun, and stimulating look at writing. There is no shortage of books by writing on the art of writing. This, however, is a good one. The book grew out of series of lectures on writing. A lot of ground is covered on a thoughtful look at the unusual skill and art involved in writing. More than a book to teach one how to write, this book examines what's involved in writing and those who perform it.

While Atwood offers a disclaimer that she is not a scholar, simply a reader and a writer, she quickly dispels that notion with her erudite discussions about various aspects of writing. If you enjoy good writing and want to examine the art, you will enjoy reading this book.