Monday, June 02, 2008

More books

...in the mail today.


Some of these were recommended by writers I know. A couple were mentioned on blogs that I follow. I look forward to reading them all.

20 comments:

Ariel Gordon said...

I have, let's see, four of those titles.

(Don't tell me if you DON'T like Bird by Bird. It's one of my favourites...)

GM said...

I believe you may have inadvertantly over-Olivered your order. Next time check for restrictions and quotas before buying.

Brenda Schmidt said...

I already like Bird by Bird. It has birds in the title!

Ya. I added A Poetry Handbook to cart and then the one on metrical verse popped up and I thought, hey, maybe I'll hang out with you formalists once in a while. Might be fun. :)

Shawna Lemay said...

A great stack - a couple of my faves in there - the Hirshfield and the Dillard!

Brenda Schmidt said...

Thanks, Shawna. I'm a bit behind. Some of these have been out a fair while. Dillard's was first published in 1989! I must have been sleeping. I think I'll start with the Dillard. It's a slim book page-wise, at just over 100 pages, but from what I'm told it's thick in substance.

Paula Jane said...

Mmm, good choices. I think I've got 6 of those. I love Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones. It was really important to me when I started writing. And I've recently acquired some Mary Oliver myself!

Brenda Schmidt said...

When I read your comment I suddenly remembered I have a Natalie Goldberg. I took a look and sure enough. Good thing it isn't the same one. I have Wild Mind: Living the Writer's Life published in 1990. I must have read it back then, too, as I can't remember what's in it.

Zachariah Wells said...

I haven't read Oliver's book on metrical verse, but I suspect she's not the best person to be talking about it. Have you read Hollander and Fenton?

Kimmy said...

Shawna recommended Bird by Bird to me and it's made a huge difference in my life. Dillard, on the other hand, i'd like to lock in her garden shed where she can't write any more books about writing. anytime i want to get Really Depressed about writing (which i generally don't) i just go down to the library and read her chapter on shooting myself as opposed to creating "another excellent manuscript on which to choke the world." thanks, Annie. i think i'll go eat some glass now. yeeeeesh.

Anonymous said...

I'm still waiting for my book !!

Mom

Brenda Schmidt said...

Hollander and Fenton? Sheesh. My Add to Cart button is gonna wear out.

Uh, I'm glad to hear Bird by Bird was a hit with you, Kimmy. And I'll make a note to NEVER bring up That Other Book at mealtime or happy hour or anywhere near stemware.

Yes, Mom...

Susan Glickman said...

Bird by Bird is absolutely delightful; one of the few books I habitually read over, laughing aloud each time. The Oliver is pretty basic, I use it for teaching poetry to beginners; for understanding metrical poetry, I prefer Poetic Metre and Poetic Form by Paul Fussell, and for free verse,Free Verse: AN Essay on Prosody by Charles O Hartman.

Brenda Schmidt said...

Thanks, Susan! I'll add those to my order.

Evie Christie said...

As I Lay Dying is one of my favourites. That's such a gorgeous edition you have.

Brenda Schmidt said...

Hi Evie, it is lovely. I look forward to reading it. I learned in Dillard's book that Faulkner took just six weeks to write it. I can't get my head around that. I imagine it will be even harder to believe once I read it.

Evie Christie said...

Brenda,

My god! 6 weeks? That's unbelievable.

I haven't read so much on meter—Adams’ Poetic Designs years ago. Any you'd suggest?

Evie Christie said...

Oh damn, I see Zach has suggested a few above...

Brenda Schmidt said...

Evie, I really haven't read much on it beyond what I studied in English lit courses. Zach and Susan's suggestions and now yours will help fill that gap in my reading. Thanks!

Kimmy said...

Fleming wrote each of his Bond books in 6 weeks. granted they're not As I Lay Dying, but. i like the idea. Sebastian Faulks did the same writing the new Bond book. 6 weeks start to finish. the results are fun and really Flemingesque

Brenda Schmidt said...

Cool. I like the idea too. With my terrible attention span, I'd pretty much have to write one in 6 weeks.